Utilize Self-Serve Beverages

Because cooking, serving, and ensuring everyone has an enjoyable experience at your home can become overwhelming, it is important to take some responsibilities off of your plate where you can. Setting up self-serve beverage stations is an easy way to reduce the number of times you are refilling glasses and going back and forth from the kitchen. Consider utilizing a bar cart or countertop to create your drink station, fully equipped with drinking glasses, beverage dispensers, and different garnishes like limes and orange slices.

Hostess Tip: Make sure to offer non-alcoholic options, and label all beverage dispensers so that your guests know exactly what they are drinking! Also, consider storing any adult beverages out of reach of children.

Design an Elegant Table Setting

Show off your gorgeous dining room with an elegant table setting that complements your interior decor. Oftentimes, the table setting is overlooked after spending countless hours preparing your favorite Thanksgiving dishes, but it is the focal point of your entire gathering and should be treated as such. To ensure you’re not stressing at the last minute, set your table the night before! This will allow you to prepare everything at your own pace and get creative with your table setting. Experiment with unique and personalized place settings, and incorporate potential conversation topics or gratitude cards to get your guests involved!

Prepare Food in Advance

In addition to preparing your tablescape in advance, prepare as much of your food as you can in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. This includes baking any rolls, finishing up any pies and desserts, and prepping your turkey! For any items that you are uncomfortable cooking or lack time for, consider ordering carryout side dishes from your favorite restaurant or purchasing baked goods from a local bakery to save yourself some time. Just don’t forget to keep these dishes warm and re-plate them on your own serving platters when the time comes!

Create a Kid’s Table

What would Thanksgiving be without the kid’s table? To accommodate your younger guests and their shortened attention span, adorn a small table with craft paper and plastic silverware. Put out some colorful crayons for a quick game of tic-tac-toe and let their imaginations run wild. Not only is this a great way to keep the children entertained while your adult guests enjoy your delicious food and conversation, but it will ease your cleanup process. Simply fold the tablecloth inwards and toss it when dinner is over!

Customize To-Go Boxes

Once Thanksgiving dinner is over, the only thing left to do is clean up. By sending each of your guests home with some of their favorite leftovers, you can simplify the cleaning up process and buy yourself some additional space in your kitchen and fridge! Our team at Margaret McHenry Maids, the choice for house cleaning services in Wichita, recommends creating customized to-go boxes that can be easily disposed of. Purchase some paper-based takeout boxes in bulk, and attach a personalized label and piece of ribbon to leave your guests with leftovers that look good enough to eat!

Hostess Tip: Don’t forget to prepare your boxes ahead of time to ensure nobody leaves empty-handed.

Relax

Ultimately, Thanksgiving is about spending time with your loved ones and sharing a meal and moment of gratitude together. Amidst the chaos of cooking, serving, and entertaining, don’t forget to sit back and relax! While problems may arise throughout the day, such as an unexpected guest, or an undercooked turkey, there is no need to stress. Take your time, and enjoy spending the day with great company!