3 Tips for Hosting a Stress-Free Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving for many is one of the best holidays that exist. It’s an opportunity to gather with all of your friends and family and express gratitude together at the dining table. Yet, if you’re the only one hosting, Thanksgiving can be quite a chore. 

There’s a fair share of stress and planning involved, which can sometimes bring added anxiety to this holiday regardless of how much we cherish it. The good news is that planning Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be stressful if you can manage to play your cards right. Organization is key if you want to plan a successful event. Here are some of the best tips to help you pull off a stress-free and seamless Thanksgiving but the people you love most.

Plan Ahead

One of the biggest secrets to planning a successful Thanksgiving is planning ahead as much as possible. Organization is critical if you hope to make sure you remember all of the right steps. Who do you plan on inviting, and what dishes are you planning on serving? 

Are there any food allergies involved, and what other tasks do you need to complete before the actual big day? The best way to stay organized is to create a list of everything you need to do. Check each thing off as you go, and this will help ensure that you stay organized. 

If possible, get other family members involved in the planning process. If everyone can manage to bring a few items, then it will take just a little bit more off of your plate. Creating a group chat with other family members is a great way to make sure that everybody’s on the same page and you don’t forget any important details.

Keep it Simple

When planning a big event like Thanksgiving, it’s easy to get carried away. After all, you want it to be picture-perfect, so you may overcomplicate the process. However, the more you can simplify your event, the more you’ll thank yourself later.

Even though it may seem like it’s all about the food, ultimately it’s all about everyone coming together and enjoying a holiday. Simplify your menu by focusing on a few key dishes that are traditionally Thanksgiving ones, and that are known for being people pleasers. Choose recipes you’re already pretty familiar with, and this will make the process that much easier.

Prep in Advance 

The more you can prepare in advance, the less stressed and rushed you’ll be on the big day. Half of the battle is all of the preparation and synchronizing of each dish with each other, so try to get everything done ahead of time if you can.

From pre-chopping vegetables to making sauces, anything you can get done before the big day will help relieve some of the pressure. If you really want to relieve yourself of last-minute rushing, you could even consider doing things like setting the table ahead of time.

Don’t forget that it’s perfectly alright to ask for help by enlisting other family members. Expecting you to do everything on your own would be crazy. Get everyone involved and it will be an enjoyable collective effort!