Hosting Thanksgiving in Palm Beach

 

Thanksgiving is the biggest family event of the year and understandably so - your day is surrounded by family members, close loved ones and distant cousins you possibly haven't seen in years, and lots of food. There is nothing quite like a Thanksgiving food coma that hits you in the early afternoon! Also, not to mention the LEFTOVERS! Thanksgiving can be fun and stressful, but the stressful part really leads down to one thing: hosting. Hosting Thanksgiving does not have to be stressful and we are here to help by providing a few simple tips!

 

 

1. Know Your Boundaries

When hosting Thanksgiving, make sure you know how many people you will have over. Do you have the space to hold a Thanksgiving meal? You want to make sure you steer away from inviting 30 people over when your space only holds 15. Overcrowding the space can lead to being more stressful vs. relaxing and enjoyable. Once you accept the idea that you are hosting Thanksgiving, make a plan and stick with it!

 

2. Set Up Your Table

Once you know your hosting limit, it is important to make sure you have enough seats for everyone. You can have friends and family bring over chairs or foldable tables if you need them, you can rent tables and chairs, or you can purchase what you need. Once you know you have enough chairs and space for eating, you can make sure you have enough utensils, cups, napkins, and plates. If you are running on a budget, plastic utensils are always easy too! You can also ask your family or guests to help out with what you need.

 

3. Create a menu

Now that you know your max amount of people and the table is set, let's figure out what you want to serve. Some staple ideas for Thanksgiving are a turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and green bean casserole. Running low on a budget? You can also ask your family members if they can all bring something to the table. This will not only save you money, but will also create a more stress free environment on the day of. A Thanksgiving meal can take a lot of time to prepare so in asking others to help out, you can fully enjoy your company. 

 

4. Order Your Turkey

This is important when hosting a big group of people because you want to make sure you have enough turkey for your gathering! The general turkey rule is about 1-1.5 lbs of turkey per person. By ordering ahead of time, you can do all of the prep work and have it ready to go in the oven in the morning. If you ordered it days in advance, you can freeze the turkey and thaw it out the day before. Most grocery stores and local restaurants can also provide you with a fully cooked turkey if you do not want to make it! Once you check this off the list, you can start making a shopping list of all the items you need for the big day!

 

5. Start Cooking Early

One of the most important steps of hosting a stress-free Thanksgiving is starting early. Prep your food! You can always freeze your items and thaw them out the day before, covering them in aluminum foil or a lid, placing them in the refrigerator, and putting a sticky note on the top of it that states the temperature the oven needs to be at and their cooking times. For most sides, they should only take about 15-30 minutes on average to heat up so these items can be prepped and ready to go but do not need to go into the oven until about an hour or so before eating! You want to make sure the food is warm by the time you are all set to eat. This will make your life on Thanksgiving SO much easier! By prepping your items early, you will be able to enjoy the day, while being a fabulous host or hostess!

 

6. Invite friends that you know may be alone

Do you have any friends that you know whose families are not in the same city? If you have the extra space, it is always nice to consider and invite friends who you know may feel alone if they cannot be with their families. During these times especially, less family members are willing to travel and be in group settings. If you are unable to host additional guests due to limited space, a nice alternative is to offer them a warm meal for them to pick up! You can also consider having them swing by and to take a plate home. We are sure they would be extra thankful for you!

 

7. ENJOY THE DAY!

Don't forget to have fun and enjoy your family. The holiday is about being grateful and not about being stressed. Try your best not to be so consumed in the hosting part of things and more so the aspect that everyone is under the same roof and enjoying each other's company. Even if you burn the turkey, don't take it too seriously. It is usually pretty dry anyways! :) Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Hosting!!!!!

 

 

Photo Credit: St. Augustine Social