10 Things to Do Before Hosting Thanksgiving

Are you hosting Thanksgiving this year? Before guests arrive in a hungry flurry, here are 10 Things to Do Before you Host Thanksgiving at your Home.

Fun fact: I have never hosted Thanksgiving because we don’t have space for a long table to fit our big family! However, I know a few things about preparing to host Thanksgiving since I have helped my Mom in the past. Last year I was excited to assist my sister in hosting her first Thanksgiving. The list below was so helpful for us in the weeks leading up to the Thanksgiving.

10 Things to Do Before Hosting Your First Thanksgiving

Looking for tips for hosting your first Thanksgiving ever? Here are 10 Things to Do Before Hosting Thanksgiving at your house.

Clean out your cupboards, fridge, and spice cabinet (spices expire!).
Plan your menu. Will you make everything or will your guests contribute to the meal?
Take inventory of what you have at home before making your grocery list.
Make your grocery list and shop a few days ahead of time. You don’t want to discover you forgot something the night before the big day when stores are crowded.
Start cleaning your home a week in advance – do a little bit each day so you’re not overwhelmed!
Enlist help for your To Do list – ask anyone attending to pop by and give you a hand before Thanksgiving (or even on the day of!).
Setting the table in a fun fancy way? Decorate a few days beforehand so you can cross it off your list!
Don’t forget beverages – not everyone likes water. Consider asking your guests to BYOB if they like an alcoholic beverage.
Start prepping food 1-2 days before Thanksgiving to save time. We always help my Mom assemble pies and appetizers the night before! (Here is a great article listing the Thanksgiving Dishes to ALWAYS prepare ahead of time).
If you’re going to have a lot of little ones in attendance, consider an activity for the kids table. From butcher paper as a tablecloth and cups of crayons to a gratitude craft, there are lots of activities for children on Thanksgiving.

Bonus: Don’t worry about a Thanksgiving outfit – I have ideas for what to wear on Thanksgiving here.

Enjoy photos from Thanksgiving over the years

The first Thanksgiving we had as parents was celebrated in Indiana with Brandon’s family. Annabelle wore three different outfits! The years following were spent with Brandon’s family in Tennessee or Ohio until we moved to Connecticut in 2018. Ever since we have stayed in our state since traveling at the holidays is so chaotic with kids. This year I’m really looking forward to our second Thanksgiving as a family of five!