10 Ways to Have Your Thanksgiving Guests Gobbling Up a Good Time!
Before you hear “Pass the turkey!” and “Ooh, I MUST get this recipe!” later this week, make sure your home is dressed with all the trimmings to welcome your Thanksgiving guests in style! Here are 10 ways to add that WOW factor to your home in time for Thanksgiving: 1. It may sound silly, but finalize your Thanksgiving menu and ensure you’ve got all needed groceries days in advance. The last thing that you want to be doing while your guests are arriving is “running out” to grab a few extra things. You’ll reduce your own stress level by making sure you’re prepared ahead of time. 2. Set a cozy mood in your home by adding non-scented candles to the areas that you expect to receive the most traffic. Skip the scents because the delicious smell of your sweet potatoes will be enough to add holiday flavor to the air. 3. Do splurge on festive, scented bathroom soaps in your oh-so-freshly-cleaned bathrooms. Choose scents that will last through the entire holiday season; your guests will be ready to help deck the halls after sampling your famous pumpkin pie! 4. If you have children, allow them to get into the spirit of the season by helping to make place cards for dinner or other fall decorations. They will be cute conversation sparkers and your kids will feel like they helped prepare the feast. Keep children entertained long after dinner by picking up a few games or holiday movies. 5. Whether you’re serving wine, coffee or sparkling cider with your Thanksgiving dinner, make sure you have plenty of coasters around the house, so your guests feel free to spread their holiday cheer throughout your home. Remember, hosting is all about making your guests feel comfortable. 6. Add extra seating around the areas you plan to spend the most time, especially in the kitchen. While you’re adding the finishing touches to your turkey, encourage your friends and family to pull up a chair and chat. They may even dive right in to help! 7. You don’t have to stop at the kitchen, either. Consider rearranging your living room or family room furniture, so that your home is more conducive to socializing. Some of your guests may want to relax and watch the big game, so make sure they’ll have a view of the TV. If you make room ahead of time, you’ll have no problem adding extra seating after dinner. 8. Many Thanksgiving dinner foods are colorful enough to help dress up your dining room table, but you can add festive touches before dinner is served, too. Fresh flowers are a beautiful way to make the table pop, but make sure your guests can see over them to pass the stuffing or share stories. Loose leaves, flowers and, even, fruit are great seasonal ways to dress up your table as well. 9. Planned or unplanned, you may have overnight guests in your home on Thanksgiving night. Reduce your stress level by prepping the guest room before your guests arrive. Decluttering the room and adding fresh linens are a must, but placing an alarm clock in the room is an over-the-top touch that guests will surely remember. 10. A thoughtful way to thank your guests for spending the holiday with you is to send them home with personalized leftovers! Pick up some seasonal gift tags and tell your guests why you’re so thankful they were able to join you. It’s a great segue into the gift-giving season! A little pre-holiday prepping will help everyone enjoy the day. Happy Thanksgiving!
