First of all, I'm hosting Thanksgiving and mostly I'm just beyond excited. I have pretty much dreamed of the day that I would host my own family for a holiday, at my own home, with my own stuff....and it's actually happening.
I'm excited to use my fancy new china from our wedding, platters that are still in boxes, and the beautiful table linens that are desperate to be used.
I've raided the aisles of HomeGoods and Michaels and I'm pretty sure I've got everything we will need. (Joel would tell you that we god damn better)
I'm hosting 14 for dinner/16 for dessert, so we are renting an extra table and chairs and hoping to coordinate the whole thing as flawlessly as possible for a somewhat small condo.
This is my china, table cloth, and chargers- so I'm picking up the silver theme and running with it.
I want lots of silver pieces on the table and the more candles the better in my book.
We are sitting down for dinner at 5:30/6, but are asking people to come closer to 2pm, so we can enjoy lots of appetizers and get people as drunk as possible.
Besides making everything as early as possible, what are YOUR tips for a successful, stress-free, and fun Thanksgiving? Lots of wine??
But seriously, I'd love to know if you have little tips that have made your hosting job a bit easier, so throw them my way.
As for Joel & my family...just remember...
Yay for you! If you haven't already unpacked your china and removed any stickers start that project early! I kept some wedding presents in boxes for almost a year and when it came time to remove any stickers they were a pickle! Another thing- my MIL sets out her serving dishes the day before with post it notes that say what food will be served in them. That way you know what you'll cook what in and how it will all be arranged. Have fun!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! You're going to do great and it's going to be gorgeous! Good luck with everything!
ReplyDeleteHooray!!!
ReplyDelete1) Lots of wine
2) Love KB's idea of the post its. I def. label our serving ware to keep track of everything.
3) Figure out timing and temperatures -- does something need to roast at 350 and something else at 475? Time it. Air traffic control the shit out of your oven/stove/kitchen.
4) Someone will inevitably ask, "What can I bring?" or "Can I do anything to help?" If you need it -- ask! "Could you fill the water glasses on the table" or some such. It's a three minute task, but it's then off your plate, and one of your guests feels helpful.
5) Get extra Ziplocs & Tupperware, some for your leftovers, others to send people home with leftovers. (Keep all the wine yourself lol)
ENJOYYYYY :)
You have got to be over the moon excited! I'm so happy for you! From the looks of it you're on a roll (like a dinner roll hehehe) with the planning and I love your theme.
ReplyDeleteTips from the Hawley House:
1- Make a schedule of cooking and stick to it.
2-Start cooking days ahead
3- If there are items that need to be chopped, do that ahead of time so that you can throw dishes together faster
4-Wine
5-Set the table the day before- so you don't have to worry about it
6- Polish the silver at least a week before
7-More wine
8-Clear out the fridge so that you have sufficient space
9- I put post-it notes on my dishes so that I know what I'm going to be using them for
10- More wine!
...ps I love this post! I'm going to be scrolling through the comments for more tips :-)
...pps I can't wait to see pictures from your event!
One of the things that I tend to forget about in the party/large dinner planning process is doing the dishes. I have found it helpful to be sure that the dishwasher is empty when guests arrive and there are no dishes waiting to be cleaned in the sink. That way you are starting with a clean slate and can enjoy the party more. I also try to think ahead of time about when I will get dishes done, will I ask people for help, and what can go into a dishwasher v. handwashing. I always get stressed when I see a mountain of dirty dishes in my kitchen after a meal, but if I've organized it ahead of time it doesn't stress me out as much.
ReplyDeleteHosting sounds stressful but will be fun. Having everyone get there early means tipsy helpers for last-minute slicing and dicing, too!
ReplyDeleteI was going to say exactly what KB and Darcy said about putting notes on each dish so that you (or whoever you are bossing around) know exactly where things go.
ReplyDelete