Are You Prepared For Thanksgiving?

While you may not consider Thanksgiving dinner an event, it really is! You invite guests, provide food, and very likely have some sort of entertainment (even if it's just your crazy uncle). Earlier this month we gave you ideas for events you could host or partake in on Thanksgiving. With just a week left until the big day, it's time to start finalizing the details of the most important event of the day - the dinner!

While Thanksgiving isn't a holiday people tend to go crazy with decorations for, you can easily put together a beautiful table at a low cost. Napkins, candles, table chargers, and centerpieces in rich fall colors act as great accents around your plates. If you don't want to buy a centerpiece or aren't craft savvy, try an edible centerpiece! Not only does this type of centerpiece pull the whole design together, but it will bring guests to the table and kick off their meal in a fun way!

Another great item to add is a place card for each table setting. Place cards are great because they're both decorative and functional. You can use an online template to print out a simple one for each guest, or get crafty and make fancier ones like pine cone turkeys. The great thing about place cards is that they help you control where people sit, which helps you manage dinner conversation. If half of your friends are quiet and half are extroverts, mix them together! You can also use them to separate family members who may not get along.

While a nice table display will be appreciated, the menu is what guests really care about. When planning the meal, always remember that this is your event and no one will hate you for taking charge. If you plan out the menu in advance and tell guests exactly what to bring, it will help you make sure you don't end up with 5 variations of green bean casserole! When planning the menu, sticking with a traditional Thanksgiving menu is nice but don't forget to add in your own twist. If you're tired of plain mashes potatoes, try making chive and garlic potatoes or southwest mashed potatoes. Don't want to serve the same stuffing from a box that you made last year? Add in your own fresh ingredients and guests will think you made it from scratch! 

Another important tip is that less is more. Rather than serving 10 different sides along with pre-meal snacks and the turkey, keep the  menu small! Doing that will ensure that everyone can fully enjoy the smaller selection instead of having only a bite or two of each dish. Make some boxes or buy extra Tupperware so guests can take home leftovers. As they leave, they'll be thankful that they get to enjoy the delicious meal all over again the next day!