Setting the Table – Tips for Making a Thanksgiving Checklist

If you’re planning on hosting Thanksgiving dinner at your house or apartment, that checklist in your head is probably feeling a bit overwhelming. But don’t forget that the holidays are supposed to be enjoyable for everyone, even those who are hosting the big celebrations. Let’s take a deep breath, get the to-do list on paper, and start checking things off. By Thanksgiving Day, you’ll be flying through your list and getting ready to spend quality time with your friends and family.

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One of my favorite things to do in advance of Thanksgiving is to set the table. Unlike preparing some of the food, it’s something that can be done in advance. This is especially true if you dine in a different room on Thanksgiving than on other days…but even if you only have one table, I recommend setting it and eating dinner at your counter or on your couch for a couple days prior to Thanksgiving.

A few of my favorite table-setting tips include:

Try something different:

Do something fun to set your table apart from the typical Thanksgiving dinner set up. This can be as simple as folding the napkins in a fun, themed way. You don’t need to be a napkin-folding pro to give your table a super fun look. You can either look for a tutorial online or simply wing it and fold the napkin in your own design. The key is to do something different than you typically do, check out the Butterball Pinterest page for some fun ideas too.

Start a Collection:

While it can be pricey to purchase themed decorations for every holiday, I recommend starting slowly. If you’re planning on starting a Thanksgiving hosting tradition, pick up a few new items of table décor each year to build your collection. I especially recommend hitting up post-holiday sales and storing your finds away until next year. You’ll be so excited to pull out your themed décor every Thanksgiving as your collection grows!

Remember to leave room for the food!

The only downside to setting the table ahead of time is that the food isn’t ready yet. It can be easy to go overboard on fun themed décor, but remember that on the big day, the food will be the most important part of the table! Make sure you leave plenty of room for all the food you’re about to be busy preparing. You’ll soon see that it really does pull the entire look together. And don’t forget to save room for the Woodbridge Wine and Corona Beer.

While you might be so relieved your Thanksgiving dinner was a success that you want to rip your checklist up and celebrate, I highly recommend that you save your checklist for next year. When you start planning again, you’ll want to see exactly what you did and how you made the holiday such a success!