3 Thanksgiving Essentials Every Hostess Needs

If you could dream up the perfect Thanksgiving, what would it look like? Would there be an abundance of warm and delicious food? What do you imagine your dining space to look like? Are family and friends filling your home, creating cherished memories? However you just imagined your Thanksgiving, it sounds perfect, doesn’t it? But, while we all can likely visualize the perfect holiday, we also know that oftentimes stress and a lengthy to-do list get in the way of those flawless plans. (And, if we’re being honest, a flawless holiday isn’t realistic anyway. We’re human. We’re messy. The dinner rolls might burn. That’s okay!) Since we know not everything will always go to plan, it’s important to refocus on what matters most rather than try for perfection. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of three Thanksgiving essentials that every hostess needs to make this special day with loved ones the best ever – burnt dinner rolls or not.

Psst! Want to be the first to know about our Holiday Gift Guides? Sign up below and we’ll deliver each one right to your inbox!

3 Thanksgiving Essentials Every Hostess Needs

Ambiance

Create character and mood for your gathering by considering the ambiance of your space. To capture an ideal ambiance for Thanksgiving, find ways to incorporate the essence of the season. Dried florals are reminiscent of a harvest, while taper candles in subtle fall hues bring drama and elegance to your table.

To amplify the atmosphere, we love to include instrumental music set at a low volume. This will “fill” the space and create a welcoming and relaxed environment. Finally, turn off any overhead lighting and use accentual floor or table lamps instead, furthering a calming ambiance.

One Signature Dish

Out of all the holidays, Thanksgiving is the one where food is most definitely at the forefront. When considering your menu, it might feel overwhelming to think of making each dish from scratch. From potatoes and gravy, to the turkey itself, it’s…a lot. So, what can we do to make it less overwhelming?

Just choose one. One signature dish that you’d like to make from scratch and pour your love into. Are you known for your green bean casserole? Maybe the turkey is your main focus. Whatever your signature dish is, focus on it, and then leave the rest to other methods.

Other methods? Yes! We love going Halfway Homemade, which is a blend of store-bought and homemade ingredients, making your life so much easier the day of your gathering! Additionally, there is no shame in going store-bought. Desserts are the easiest menu component to simply grab at the store, with many warehouse stores offering enormous pies and cakes that will feed a crowd.

Check out our Halfway Homemade Friendsgiving for more inspiration!

Support

You’ve heard the quote: “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well, we’re going to extend that quote to “…and host Thanksgiving.” While you might be hosting the holiday in your home, it doesn’t mean you’re meant to do it alone.

With that, we encourage you to consider who you’re going to look to for support. It doesn’t have to be a village, of course. Maybe it’s your significant other, a best friend, a supportive aunt, or a helpful sibling. Whoever it is, this person is there to play a supporting role in pulling off Thanksgiving. Let them know early on that he or she is your village in hosting this holiday and that you might ask them for support, whether that’s a sounding board for ideas or bringing a side dish to fill out the menu.

For some, it might not come naturally to ask for help. (We even have this struggle ourselves!) Our best piece of advice for asking for support is to be direct and specific. Keep it to one clear task. What’s one to-do item that you’re anxious about? Is there a dish you really don’t want to have to worry about?

Still not sure? Here are some ways to be direct and specific when asking for support.

• We love your [signature dish]! Would you consider bringing it to our gathering?
• I’ve got the main menu down, but would you consider bringing a pie for dessert?

Try to avoid simply saying that you need “help” but not defining what that means to you. Your support person (or people!) is there to help, but that person needs to know how to help you. So, let go of the guilt that might be associated with asking for help. There is no shame in asking for support. We are humans meant to do this human experience together. So ask. Be direct. Ask with purpose and specificity. You might be amazed at how incredible allowing help might feel.

Here’s a Bonus Thanksgiving Essential

Think of that perfect Thanksgiving you imagined earlier. It felt good, right? But was it the decor or even the food that made it so inviting? Probably not. What makes the perfect holiday isn’t really the stuff – it’s the people. And so, as a bonus Thanksgiving essential, we encourage you to remember that the people are essential. The loving conversations, the happy laughter and the stories being told around a table with loved ones is the most important essential to crafting the most memorable and cherished holiday. Everything else will work out just fine.

Happy Thanksgiving, friend!