Top 12 Tips and Ideas for Hosting Your First Thanksgiving
Family traditions and fond memories make Thanksgiving dinner a favorite meal for many—but if it’s your first time hosting Thanksgiving, you may feel overwhelmed. Explore our favorite tips and ideas for planning the perfect Thanksgiving dinner for friends and family, and focus on what really matters: being with those you love.
Tips for First-Time Thanksgiving Hosts and Expert Entertainers
Worrying about how to host Thanksgiving? Don’t stress—with a bit of planning, most prep can happen in advance, leaving plenty of time to cook on the big day. Novice or not, follow these tips for effortless holiday hosting:
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.
The week before Thanksgiving, get your house ready for hosting. Simplify by focusing on the places you plan to entertain: serving drinks and appetizers in the kitchen? Add seasonal decor for a festive feel. Have guests staying over? Freshly laundered sheets and clean bath towels help them feel at home.
The week before Thanksgiving, get your house ready for hosting. Simplify by focusing on the places you plan to entertain: serving drinks and appetizers in the kitchen? Add seasonal decor for a festive feel. Have guests staying over? Freshly laundered sheets and clean bath towels help them feel at home.
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.
Tips for Thanksgiving Guests
Want to win the Best Guest Award this Thanksgiving? Follow these tried-and-true tips:
Nothing throws off carefully choreographed Thanksgiving prep like guests who show up early—or arrive too late. Your best bet? Be as close to on time as possible.
Whether you offer to make an appetizer or bring a nice bottle of wine, show your gratitude by contributing something to the meal. Ask what to bring to avoid doubling up on dishes.
Express your appreciation for a Thanksgiving invitation with a hostess gift. Here are some of our favorite Thanksgiving hostess gift ideas:
- Complement the host’s cooking abilities with kitchen-themed gifts—think oven mitts, tea towels, or aprons.
- Serving platters and tabletop decor make practical picks for hostess gifts: opt for fall-inspired designs, or choose neutral pieces that can be used year-round.
- Browse gifts for the home for always-appropriate options, or add a personal touch with monogrammed gifts.
Having a plan is key to your Thanksgiving dinner going off without a hitch. Our easy tips make Thanksgiving preparation feel effortless, for new and experienced hosts alike. For more holiday planning inspiration, check out our Tips & Ideas page.