Y’all know I bought my home last October so, while I technically owned it last Thanksgiving, I didn’t own any chairs for my dining room. Haha. I had the table but it was no use! This year I’ve added chairs, wallpaper, and a butler’s built-in in that room so I’ll be ready to host family and friends over the holidays!
First up: Thanksgiving!
Now you also know that Katie loves cooking so I can’t imagine a world where I’m hosting “the big meal”! I’m more up for the drinks, charcuterie, hot apps and dips, and games around the table. I’ll be hosting the night before Thanksgiving or the day after—when we’ve all had our fill of turkey and mashed potatoes. To help you stay sane this holiday season I thought I’d give you a few of my hosting tips!
1. Know your lane…and stay in it! Like I said above, I’m not the big meal girl…at least not right now. I’m the girl who brings the champagne and the green bean casserole or the salad to the big meal. I’ll host a card party or a football watching party another night. I’ll have apps and desserts but won’t force the MUST-HAVE-TURKEY issue. Mostly because turkey isn’t worth all the fuss, in my opinion. See, I know what I like and I live there! I don’t need to prove my adult-hood or femininity by perfectly roasting a turkey.
2. Make your house smell good. Cleanliness comes and goes. 🙂 Start a simmer pot, burn a candle, spray a spritz…you get the idea. Every time someone comes to my house they say “it smells good in here!” I can’t smell it because I’m too used to it, I guess, but I love that!
3. Make your life easy where you can. Anyone who actually loves you and cares for you wants you to enjoy the season…not stress out about ironing linens and brining turkey etc etc etc. Our family likes to outsource meal prep. Someone’s on ice, someone’s on cranberry jello salad, someone’s on green bean casserole, etc. That keeps the burden lighter for the host. You may not be to that point yet with your family but you know Chicken Express will fry your turkey, right? Other places will also do this! Help yourself! Buy the ice. Buy the pre-mixed cocktail. Eliminate the side nobody likes but we have to have because “tradition!”. No thank you. Corn dip is out. Next!
4. If you’ve made your life easy then you may have space for a special treat. I bought fancy ice cube trays so I can have cranberry sparkling ice for specialty drinks! You’ll need to start these a few days in advance but making ice is literally the easiest. Haha! Then it looks fancy without having to be time-absorbing!
5. Have music on, softly, in the background. That helps guests know the vibe. Are we Chopin’s nocturnes or The Eagles? Big difference in my perception of your expectations of me as a guest! Should I stay out of the kitchen or offer to help out? Should I help myself to the bar or will there be an “opening ceremony”? All of this can be communicated with music. Here’s a real tip: Spotify playlist “Grandma’s Home”. You’re welcome!
