Top 12 Tips and Ideas for Hosting Your First Thanksgiving

Do you want a big, elaborate dinner party or an intimate family gathering? Make a guest list and extend invitations several weeks before the big dinner. Ask guests to RSVP by a specific date, so you know how much to cook.

To ensure ample time to evaluate your pantry, plan the menu at least a week in advance, make a shopping list, and go to the grocery store. Feeling overwhelmed? Divvy it up: most guests are more than happy to contribute a dish when asked.

Any foods served cold or at room temperature can be made a day or two ahead of time, freeing up cooking time and oven space on Thanksgiving day.

Setting the table early is an easy way to tick a task off of your Thanksgiving dinner checklist. If you can, do it the night before. Need inspiration? Check out our Thanksgiving table decor ideas:

• Put some fancy in your festivities with a formal Thanksgiving tablescape complete with fine dishes, chic serveware, and coordinating cloth napkins. Fresh flowers and flickering candles create an elegant atmosphere atop a Thanksgiving tablecloth.
• Pair foraged flowers and fall foliage with pumpkins or other autumnal accents to create a charming Thanksgiving centerpiece. Wooden serving platters complete the rustic aesthetic.
• Set a kid-friendly Thanksgiving table with butcher-paper placemats and crayons: little ones can stay busy coloring while adults sit back and enjoy the meal.

• Put some fancy in your festivities with a formal Thanksgiving tablescape complete with fine dishes, chic serveware, and coordinating cloth napkins. Fresh flowers and flickering candles create an elegant atmosphere atop a Thanksgiving tablecloth.
• Pair foraged flowers and fall foliage with pumpkins or other autumnal accents to create a charming Thanksgiving centerpiece. Wooden serving platters complete the rustic aesthetic.
• Set a kid-friendly Thanksgiving table with butcher-paper placemats and crayons: little ones can stay busy coloring while adults sit back and enjoy the meal.

Simplify Thanksgiving kitchen chaos by making a cooking schedule beforehand. Working backward from when dinner will be served, determine exactly when each dish should be prepped, cooked, or reheated.

Bonus Thanksgiving Meal Prep Tip:

Short on oven space? Microwaves are insulated, making them an excellent spot for stashing food that needs to stay warm.

Avoid feeling overwhelmed at the end of the evening by cleaning as you go. Wash dishes right away, empty the dishwasher, and make space in the fridge for leftovers. Don’t forget to take out the trash—your future self will appreciate not having to stop mid-conversation to do it later.

Before guests arrive, review your Thanksgiving checklist for any missed tasks. Check bathrooms for toilet paper and towels, and put any finishing touches on your tabletop decor.

The key to any successful gathering is making guests feel at home. Light candles for a warm, welcoming ambiance, and cue up a Thanksgiving playlist.

If you’ll be in the kitchen for last-minute meal prep, ask a family member or friend to take charge of welcoming guests and serving drinks.

On Thanksgiving, encourage guests to share what they’re grateful for; just avoid tricky topics like politics or family drama.

If you’re not relaxed, your guests won’t be, either. Take a deep breath and remember—your friends and family are looking for connection, not perfection.