Most Thanksgiving articles focus on the food: how to prepare the perfect turkey, which side dishes to serve, and things of that nature. While we definitely appreciate mealtime tips, we want to offer some insight on how to make your home the per fect gathering place for your guests. After all, Thanksgiving is all about “togetherness” with family and friends. We love the nostalgia of Thanksgiving traditions, visiting with loved ones, and expressing thanks for our blessings. As much as we all cherish this time of fellowship, sometimes everyone together under the same room can feel crowded and chaotic. In this article, we offer some strategies for directing the flow of Thanksgiving traffic in your home and tips for making each room ideal for hosting loved ones.
TURKEY DAY TIPS (that are not about the turkey)…
1. Plan ahead.
The kitchen is no doubt the most popular room in the house during Thanksgiving. Guests are either eager to help or want to know when the food will be ready. To avoid kitchen chaos, make as much food ahead of time as possible and clean as you go. This keeps the kitchen a positive, welcoming environment instead of a stress-filled disaster area.
Bonus Tip: If you have a bar area in your kitchen, serving drinks and light appetizers is a great way to entertain guests while also keeping them out of your prep space.
2. Make your foyer irresistible.
Sometimes the best offense is a good defense. If you can manage to make your foyer as inviting as this one, your guests will likely linger here instead of crowding your kitchen right away. This gives you a little extra space and time to prepare.
Sometimes the best offense is a good defense. If you can manage to make your foyer as inviting as this one, your guests will likely linger here instead of crowding your kitchen right away. This gives you a little extra space and time to prepare.
Bonus Tip: Place a small table in your foyer with an activity for your guests – perhaps note cards for them to write what they are thankful for and a little box to place them in.
3. Keep the dining area clean and simple.
We all love décor during the holiday season, but some can go a little overboard with their tablescapes. All guests really want is a clean, clutter-free area to enjoy their meal and have some good conversation. If your centerpiece is too big or if there is just too much décor on the table, this can interfere with eye contact between guests, and possibly cause them to feel nervous about knocking something over or messing it up.
4. Make sure the “nap area” is ready.
After their Thanksgiving feast, many guests wish to leave the table and find somewhere more comfortable to doze off or at least lounge around. Having a comfy sectional like this one is ideal for this very reason. Having fluf fy throw pillows, snuggly blankets and even an ottoman or two nearby makes the area all the more inviting.
After their Thanksgiving feast, many guests wish to leave the table and find somewhere more comfortable to doze off or at least lounge around. Having a comfy sectional like this one is ideal for this very reason. Having fluf fy throw pillows, snuggly blankets and even an ottoman or two nearby makes the area all the more inviting.
Bonus Tip: A modular sectional such as this one is wonderful to have when entertaining since you can rearrange the pieces as needed to accommodate your guests.
5. Prepare guest slee ping quarters.
Speaking of naps, you may have some out-of-town guests who need to sleep over at your place for the night or even the weekend. Aside from obvious preparations such as clean bedsheets, you also want to have minimal clutter in this room so that guests have plenty of space for their own belongings.
Speaking of naps, you may have some out-of-town guests who need to sleep over at your place for the night or even the weekend. Aside from obvious preparations such as clean bedsheets, you also want to have minimal clutter in this room so that guests have plenty of space for their own belongings.
Bonus Tip: Don’t fret if your house does not have a guest bedroom. Sleeper sofas, daybeds or even a good air mattress all work just fine for guests. The main thing is to make sure the sleeping area is clean and comf y.
We hope you have found these tips helpful as the Thanksgiving holiday quickly approaches. Managing the flow of traffic in your home and making sure all of your rooms have the right touches will decrease your stress as a host, which in turn, helps you enjoy your time with your loved ones even more. Before you go, here is a sweet surprise that you and your guests will certainly be thankful for! This secret recipe has been in the Temple | Parker Southern family for generations, and we are excited to reveal Mamaw Starnes’s Pecan Tarts to you today. We hope your Thanksgiving is as warm and sweet as these pecan tarts. 😊
