{"id":3691,"date":"2015-11-08T15:48:23","date_gmt":"2015-11-08T21:48:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gigsalad.com\/blog\/?p=3691"},"modified":"2025-04-17T10:08:47","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T15:08:47","slug":"thanksgiving-party-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gigsalad.com\/blog\/thanksgiving-party-plans\/","title":{"rendered":"Planning a Thanksgiving to Be Thankful For"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last updated on April 17, 2025<\/p>

Put on your Thanksgiving pants, everybody; it’s time to eat! Thanksgiving is the perfect time to get together with your loved ones\u00a0to celebrate the things you’re thankful for, all the while easing yourself into a food coma. Like any other holiday or big event, a successful Thanksgiving dinner requires careful planning.\u00a0If you’re hosting, chances are you’ve got a lot of cooking to do!<\/p>\n

Here are a few tips to make your life a little easier in the kitchen…<\/p>\n

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Plan Ahead<\/h2>\n

Find out how many guests to expect, who has a +1, who is a vegetarian, and so on. This will help you develop your recipes and know how much of each dish you’ll need to make.<\/p>\n

Be\u00a0sure you have enough table space, chairs, glassware, and dinnerware for everyone (plus extras for holding appetizers, side dishes, desserts, etc). If you’re hosting\u00a0a large gathering, but live in a small household, there isn’t much sense in buying another table, chairs, and a bunch of dinnerware. Instead, look into rentals<\/a>.\u00a0In addition to saving\u00a0you lots\u00a0of money, rentals are great because they’re taken away after the event, freeing up precious storage space in your home<\/p>\n

To wow your guests with festive decor, reach out to a\u00a0party decorator<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0florist<\/a>\u00a0to achieve a Pinterest-worthy seasonal look.<\/p>\n

Get Organized<\/h2>\n

Make a combined list of all of the ingredients (and amounts) you’ll need for each recipe and go shopping! Trust us — you do\u00a0not<\/strong> want to make a supermarket run on Thanksgiving Day, (and you may not even be able<\/em> to, as\u00a0many businesses close for the holiday).<\/p>\n

\"delegate\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Know\u00a0how long each dish takes, if it\u00a0needs time to cool or should be served hot, how much oven or stovetop space is required, etc. and make a game plan! Make breads, desserts, and cranberry sauce the day before to make\u00a0time and oven\/stove space for the hot foods you’ll be preparing.<\/p>\n

Do as much prep work as possible before<\/em> Thanksgiving. Cut vegetables, portion and label ingredients, decorate, and prepare the\u00a0dinner table. That way, on Thanksgiving day, you can just focus on cooking instead of scrambling to make up for lost time or trying to decorate in-between basting the turkey and mashing the potatoes.<\/p>\n

Enlist Help<\/h2>\n

Having a few extra helping hands can make a big difference. Whether it’s help\u00a0cooking, cleaning, or decorating — a bit of assistance certainly wouldn’t hurt!<\/p>\n

To lighten your load, consider focusing solely on dinner and ask your guests to bring desserts and\/or beverages. A potluck-style Thanksgiving dinner\u00a0will require\u00a0less of your time and effort,\u00a0and gives everyone a chance to bring their favorite\u00a0festive dish!<\/p>\n

If you’d rather not ask your guests to bring anything, but\u00a0aren’t feeling up to the task of preparing the meal yourself, hire a caterer<\/a>.\u00a0With a professional caterer, you’re not just getting great food; you’ll also get the chance to sit back, relax, and enjoy the company of your loved ones. (Oh, and they clean up after themselves, too. Score!)<\/i><\/p>\n

Entertain\u00a0Your Guests<\/h2>\n

For many families, it’s a Thanksgiving tradition to watch\u00a0football or the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Festive\u00a0movies, like A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving<\/em>, or Thanksgiving-themed episodes of your favorite TV shows are also great options. (If you’re hosting a “Friendsgiving<\/a>” this year, what better show to watch than Friends<\/em>? The series has a Thanksgiving episode for each of its\u00a010 seasons!)<\/p>\n

\"Autumn<\/a><\/p>\n

Keep the kids occupied with games, coloring pages, and crafts.\u00a0For those of you in warmer climates, consider\u00a0inflatable rentals<\/a>, like slides or bounce houses, for an after-dinner treat. It’ll keep the kiddos busy for hours and give the adults some much-needed time to relax!\u00a0Crowd-pleasing games like Apples to Apples, Corn Toss, or Horse Shoes are fun for kids and adults, alike.<\/p>\n

Print out or create\u00a0handmade Thanksgiving note cards, and encourage\u00a0your guests to write down what they’re thankful for, then\u00a0go around the table to give thanks. These cards are great for guests to take home with them, not only as a reminder of the wonderful holiday\u00a0you shared, but of the things they’re most grateful for.<\/p>\n

We\u00a0wish\u00a0you the happiest Thanksgiving (and a safe Black Friday — those bargain shoppers can get crazy)!<\/p>\n

Check out our Thanksgiving Pinterest board<\/a> for decorating tips, recipes, games, printables, and much more!<\/p>\n

Ready to browse Thanksgiving event services?<\/h3>\n

<\/i>Search <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n


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