Thanksgiving is the perfect time to gather all of your loved ones together and share a home-cooked meal full of your favorite dishes. If you're the one hosting Thanksgiving, it can take thoughtful planning and preparation to avoid holiday hiccups. Whether you're hosting your first Thanksgiving dinner or simply want to brush up on Thanksgiving must-haves, our guide covers all you need to know about hosting Thanksgiving. We've included tips on planning your menu, setting the table, and preparing your home for any overnight guests. Keep reading to learn how to host Thanksgiving with stress-free ease.

Two or Three Weeks Before
One Week Before
The Week of Thanksgiving
The Day of Thanksgiving

Two or Three Weeks Before

Thanksgiving is one of those holidays where there can be quite a few moving pieces. Between getting a headcount for guests, purchasing a turkey, and deciding where the best space is to set up your feast, it's best to create a clear plan that outlines all of the tasks you need to complete and when. Here are the things on your hosting Thanksgiving checklist that you should do two or three weeks before Thanksgiving:

1. Get an Estimated Headcount

Whether you send out formal invitations or prefer a quick phone call, it's important to have an estimated headcount so that you can determine how much food, space, and help you'll need. This is also a great time to ask for help or delegate tasks, such as bringing a dish or grabbing extra sets of silverware. Dividing and conquering the pre-Thanksgiving to-do list can alleviate excess stress and allow people to bring a dish that they'd love to share.

2. Determine the Best Spot to Set Up

After you've gotten an idea of how many people are coming, you can decide which space would be best for hosting Thanksgiving dinner. You might have enough room for everyone at your dining table, or you might need to pick up a few extra chairs to make space for each guest.

You should also consider how you plan on serving the meal. If your event is smaller and more intimate, you can go for a family-style dinner where you carve up the turkey and pass individual side dishes around the table. If your Thanksgiving dinner has more guests, a buffet-style set up in the kitchen or along a long table might be a better option.

3. Plan the Menu

Food plays a very key role in Thanksgiving, so creating the menu is essential. Deciding the dishes early can help you streamline what ingredients you may need or what order you'll need to cook each dish.

Though side dishes are a great spot to experiment with new recipes, try to stick to the classics to cut down on culinary mishaps. Thanksgiving must-haves like mashed potatoes or stuffing are best left to tradition, while pies, casseroles, and salads can be a little more creative.

Tip!

Don't fret about elaborate appetizers – the dishes you have planned for dinner are more than enough. If you really want to make sure that guests have something to graze on, opt for a simple spread of crackers and cheese.

4. Order the Turkey

Once you've determined how many people are attending and what sides you'll make to accompany the main dish, it's time to order the turkey. As a rule of thumb, you'll need three-quarters to a pound of turkey per person. This will leave plenty of leftovers to satisfy your Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich craving.

It's best to buy your turkey early and freeze the bird, leaving enough time before the day of cooking to thaw the turkey. You'll need to thaw the turkey one day for each four pounds of turkey. For example, if you have a 12-pound turkey, you'll need to thaw it for three days before you start cooking.

One Week Before

The week before Thanksgiving is the time where you should be gathering everything you need so that you can hopefully avoid any last-minute trips to the grocery store. Here are the things you should consider when getting ready for Thanksgiving.

1. Gather Your Tableware

A week before Thanksgiving is a good time to decide how you'll top your dining table. Think of the tableware and table linens you'll need. Counting up plates, cups, and sets of silverware can help you take note of anything you might be missing. Wash any table linens so that they'll be fresh and iron the tablecloth to get rid of any pesky wrinkles.

2. Make Your Grocery List

Before heading to the grocery store, it's important to write out all of the ingredients you'll need.
If you plan on making multiple trips or stopping at different stores, try to write your list with this in mind. This will help you segment your list for practical purposes and avoid any items that you might overlook on a longer list.

Tip!

Store-bought items are an excellent way to supplement your home-cooked dishes and cut down on your cooking time. Try picking up a pie or two from a local bakery, or opt for rolls from the grocery store. Buying pre-made dishes can free up your oven space for other parts of your meal and eliminate stress.

3. Clean Your House

When getting ready for Thanksgiving, try to take time the week before to deep-clean your house. Though your home doesn't need to be perfectly tidy, cleaning your home the week before can help you reduce the amount of tasks you need to take on right before the holiday.

4. Prepare for Overnight Guests

If you have any overnight or out-of-town guests, this is the time to wash any bed linens or towels to ensure guests have a fresh set. Stock guest-friendly toiletries and freshen up the space where guests will be sleeping, whether that's a guest room or sofa bed.

The Week of Thanksgiving

As the holiday gets closer, your to-do list might grow more hectic. The days right before Thanksgiving are essential for prepping as much as you can so that the day of Thanksgiving can go smoothly.

1. Thaw Your Turkey

Like we mentioned earlier, you'll need to thaw your turkey if it's frozen. Leave enough time so that your bird can fully thaw before you start the cooking process. As an easy rule, add one day for each four pounds of frozen turkey. For example, if your turkey is 20 pounds, you'll need five days to thaw it.

2. Go to the Grocery Store

Going to the grocery store doesn't need to be one large trip. Rather, splitting trips into more manageable doses can save you some stress. Try to stock up on non-perishable items in advance and save your trips for fresh produce toward the last few days before you need to start cooking.

For popular items like pre-made pie crusts or cans of pumpkin puree, it can be better to grab a few extras so that you don't have to make any emergency trips to the grocery store or visit multiple stores looking for one out-of-stock item.

3. Prep What You Can

Not every dish needs to be fully prepared on the day of Thanksgiving. Unless you have multiple ovens and a spacious stovetop, it's best to make a plan for your day-of execution. Create a timeline to map out which dishes should be prepared when, including helpful info like prep time, cook time, and if the dish can be prepared beforehand.

Rolls and cranberry sauce can be made days before Thanksgiving. Casseroles can often be pre-assembled a day or two in advance and kept in the refrigerator before baking. Same goes for pies, which can take up valuable oven time with their long bake times.

4. Set the Table

The night before Thanksgiving day is an excellent time to set the table. Not only will this save you time in the morning, you can tend to the tablescape while one of your pre-made dishes is in the oven or cooling before you stash it in the refrigerator.

Set out all of the pieces you'll use for your table, such as tablecloths, placemats, napkins, and tableware. Once you've arranged those pieces, you can move onto the more decorative items like the centerpiece, napkin rings, or place cards.

Tip!

Check out our guides 14 Thanksgiving Centerpiece Ideas to Transform Your Dining Table and 22 Delicious-Looking Thanksgiving Table Setting Ideas to find inspiration for dressing up your dining table.

The Day of Thanksgiving

The day of Thanksgiving, you'll want to wake up early so that you can get a good start on the day. Check your timeline again to make sure you know when certain items need to be in the oven or if you need to adjust oven temperatures between two dishes. Try to set timers on your devices if you need reminders to keep you on schedule.

1. Roast the Turkey

Depending on your recipe, you'll want to start roasting the turkey. Generally, you'll want to roast a turkey at 350°F for 13 minutes per pound if your turkey is unstuffed and 15 minutes per pound if your turkey is stuffed. For example, a medium-sized turkey that weighs between 12 and 14 pounds would take three hours or three hours and three-quarters of an hour.

You'll need to keep a meat thermometer on hand to check the key parts of the turkey – breast, thigh, and stuffing – to ensure it's up to the right temperature.

2. Set Up Space for Beverages

Whether you're serving wine, cocktails, or non-alcoholic beverages, you'll need to make space for self-service. Stock up the bar with wine or spirits, or create a batch of festive cocktails or mocktails to keep your beverages on-theme. Make sure to set up a spot with glasses and an ice bucket so that everyone can help themselves.

3. Finish the Side Dishes

Whether you need to complete the gravy or your pre-assembled casseroles have to be popped in the oven, you'll want to spend the pre-dinner period finishing the side dishes. Most turkeys need at least 45 minutes to rest and reabsorb the delicious juices before you can start carving, so this is a great time to finish up any last-minute touches.

As the side dishes are ready and you're getting closer to serving dinner, you can start moving dishes to the designated area.

4. Enjoy the Holiday

It might seem like unnecessary advice, but it's most important that you find time to relax and enjoy yourself. Though hosting Thanksgiving can feel overwhelming, try to remember that this holiday is more about enjoying company (and good food) than being the perfect host.

Tip!

Find inspiration for your Thanksgiving decor with our guides Embrace Autumn With These 20 Thanksgiving Decoration Ideas and 20 of the Coziest Outdoor Thanksgiving Decor Ideas.

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