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The turkey may be the star of the show, but anyone who’s ever hosted a Thanksgiving dinner before can attest: there are *so* many things beyond the bird to consider when planning a Thanksgiving party.
From apps and desserts to activities and decor, it can be hard to keep track of everything on your plate. That’s why we’re here with a comprehensive guide to Thanksgiving party planning. And for all things Friendsgiving, make sure to check out our Friendsgiving checklist to learn how to throw the ultimate fall feast for your friends.
To make the planning process extra smooth, we've put together this printable checklist of everything you need to do before your Turkey Day gathering. Download it here so you can have it on-hand as you get ready for the big day!
Food is truly the main event of any Thanksgiving gathering. Make sure no dish gets forgotten by creating an organized list of everything you'll be serving. This printable meal planner is the perfect way for hosts to stay totally on top of all things Turkey Day! Download it here to start planning!
In order to make sure you know what to expect by the time Thanksgiving Day rolls around, it’s important to send out invitations far in advance so you can get an accurate headcount for your gathering.
When it comes to holidays, it’s always best to send out your invitations 4–6 weeks in advance to allow your guests plenty of time to plan and make any travel arrangements.
Once you’ve got an understanding of how big your feast is going to be, the rest is gravy!
Questions to consider while planning ahead for Thanksgiving:
When it comes to entertaining, remember: it’s always best to overshoot and send guests home with leftovers than to have a house full of hungry people.
Here’s a breakdown to help you figure out how much turkey you’ll need based on the size of your gathering:
4 people: 5 lbs
6 people: 8 lbs
8 people: 10 lbs
10 people: 13 lbs
12 people: 15 lbs
15 people: 20 lbs
20 people: 25 lbs
25 people: 32 lbs
You’ll also want to gather any helpful cooking gadgets and seasonal decorations in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. Nothing is worse than realizing halfway through the cooking process that you forgot to purchase a crucial tool, so we’ve put together a list of typical supplies you might need on Turkey Day. As for decor, it’s always good to shop in advance. The more things you can check off of your list before the week of Thanksgiving, the less stressed you’ll be as the holiday approaches!
Cooking supplies that might come in handy:
When it comes to grocery shopping, make sure you’re considering every component of your meal. You’ll want to make one master list of every ingredient you will need for every dish, then start making trips to grocery stores to gather your goods.
Start by listing out each dish you plan on making. Consider any appetizers, side dishes, main dishes, desserts and beverages you plan to make and write down every necessary ingredient.
It is best to start your shopping as early as possible, buying non-perishables far in advance so you only have to worry about purchasing perishable goods the week of Thanksgiving.
It’s super important to make sure you have the right ingredients for the dishes you plan to make, but here is a list of common items you’ll likely need when cooking for Thanksgiving:
Turkey
Flour
Sugar (white and brown)
Salt
Autumnal herbs (sage, thyme, etc.)
Potatoes
Cranberries
Gather your decorations ahead of time to take the stress out of decorating your space. Stick with an autumnal color palette and use a variety of textures. Try setting the table with earth-toned tableware, placing autumnal plants around the house and hanging decorative garlands wherever you can.
Decor ideas to spruce up your space:
White pumpkin and eucalyptus garland
Glass hurricane candle holders
Don’t worry, no one’s expecting a full-on speech from the host, but it can be a nice gesture to prepare a few words of gratitude to share before your meal. Offer your guests a moment to reflect by reading an inspiring quote or sharing your own feelings of gratitude with the group.
Then, invite your guests to share what they’re thankful for, too! No need to make everyone share, but definitely open up the floor for anyone who does want to share a few words.
Keep your guests entertained by planning some fun, festive games and activities! Thanksgiving is a great time for some bonding with family and friends and nothing brings people together like some healthy competition.
Here are some of our favorite games and activities:
Apple toss
Pumpkin checkers
Thanksgiving bingo
Hand turkey drawing
Sack race
Three-legged race
On Thanksgiving day, you’re going to want to get as early of a start as you can to ensure everything is ready by the time guests begin arriving. Multi-tasking is going to be your best friend: start your cooking, get as much as you can into the oven and then start decorating your space while you wait for the food to cook.
And, of course, don’t put on your Thanksgiving party outfit until the last possible minute! Between the cranberry sauce, pie fillings and turkey drippings, messes and stains are practically a given, so spare yourself the extra stress by putting on clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.
Thanksgiving day planning checklist:
Prep and cook food
Decorate house
Set up activities
Set table(s)
Set the Scene
Hang your decorations, arrange your florals and prep any centerpieces. Make sure ingredients for cocktails and drinks are ready to go—setting up a self-serve drink station is a great way to make guests feel extra comfortable in your space and take one more task off your plate during the party.
Lastly, put on a nice dinner party playlist to give the atmosphere that extra oomph and light any candles.
Prepare the Food
It’s a feast, after all, so cooking is perhaps the most important part of your day of preparations. Make a cooking schedule ahead of time to guide you throughout the day. You don’t need to plan every minute of your day, but having a sense of what time to start each dish, when to put things in the oven and how long each dish takes to cook will help you stay organized and have everything ready by the time your guests arrive.
Other helpful tips:
Clean as you go
Make use of Crock-Pots and slow cookers
Check your turkey’s temperature as it cooks
Don’t panic
Set the Table
The final piece of any pre-party prep is setting the table. Lay out your decorative table cloth, arrange any centerpieces, set each place and, for an extra fancy touch, add place cards so guests know where to go. If you’re expecting lots of kiddos, consider setting up a kids’ table with kid-friendly activities like coloring books and crayons at the ready. Find more tips for creating the ultimate kidsgiving table here.
Hang up any wall decorations and any other adornments to create a cozy Thanksgiving atmosphere. Consider placing candles, pumpkins and wreaths around your house to really lean into that fall harvest energy.
When the food is ready, decide which dishes you’ll want to place on the table. You likely won’t be able to fit everything, so prioritize the most impressive dishes and the crowd-pleasers. Then, set up a separate table with any remaining food.
Enjoy the Day
Take a big sigh and give yourself a pat on the back—you’re ready to relax and enjoy the day!
Freshen up, change into your party clothes and get ready to greet your guests. Take a last-minute peak at your RSVPs to remind yourself who to expect and brace yourself for any unexpected plus-ones.
Have a good time, eat lots of food and remember to take plenty of pictures to capture all the memories! Facilitate any games or activities you planned and express your feelings of gratitude to remind guests what the day’s all about.
The fun doesn’t have to end when the party does! Thanksgiving’s all about gratitude, so let your guests know how thankful you are for all of them with a thank you card after your event.
Send Out Thank You Cards
Sending out thank you cards after your gathering is a great way to express your gratitude for those who came out to your gathering and to thank anyone who was particularly helpful throughout the planning process and/or at the party.
Evite offers plenty of autumnal thank you eCards, perfect for sending after a Thanksgiving gathering. Our eCards are easy to customize, with plenty of personalization options like our editable backgrounds or envelope liners and decorative stickers and stamps.
Once you’ve designed the perfect eCard, you can quickly add recipients by using the same guest list you used for your invitation. Then, write a message for everyone or individualize your messages for each recipient.
Sending your eCards is super easy; with Evite, you’re able to decide whether you’ll want to text or email your eCards. Once they’re off, check to see when your eCard’s been viewed and see any emoji reactions your guests send back.
The tur-key to a successful Thanksgiving is planning ahead, so make sure to prep all of your stuff(ing) well in advance! That means finding the perfect invitation with Evite.
Browse our collection of Thanksgiving designs, including our photo templates if you’re looking for something extra special, and choose your favorite one. Then, customize it by adjusting your text, changing the background and envelope liner, and adding fun stamps and stickers.
Once it’s ready, add your guests and send your invitations via email, text or shareable link. Check your RSVPs in real-time to always ensure you’ve got an accurate headcount and message guests privately or as a group with any important info.
Our autumnal thank you eCards are perfect to send to guests post-Thanksgiving to spread even more gratitude. You can add recipients with ease by importing the same guest list you used on your invitation. Send via email or text and see recipients react with fun emojis!
If you’re planning plenty of parties this holiday season or hoping to send lots of holiday eCards, consider signing up for Evite Pro. This subscription service allows you to send an unlimited number of eCards and Premium invitations so you can celebrate all of life’s most awesome moments!
Developed hand-in-hand with community organizers, PTA presidents, parents and teachers, Evite's signup sheets are designed to make organizing volunteers a breeze. Here are a few ways SignUp Sheets are different than SignUpGenius:
Choose Evite SignUp Sheets for the easiest, most streamlined way to get volunteers and signups for your next event!
Signup sheets are the perfect way to streamline scheduling, volunteer recruitment, class parties, snack duty, potluck organization, parent-teacher conferences and more! You can think of them as your digital assistant for coordinating events and tasks and ensuring that your event is a success.
Evite SignUp Sheets offers parents, teachers and event planners customizable online forms that organizers and volunteers can access and update effortlessly. Volunteers can choose their preferred time slots, sign up for tasks or indicate what they'll bring to the event. It only takes organizers a few minutes to create a signup sheet and send it out with a shareable link, so they can get the word out via text, email or social media—whichever way they prefer!
Long story short, signup sheets save everyone involved tons of time, avoid scheduling headaches and ensure everything runs smoothly before and during the event.
Creating a signup sheet has never been easier than with Evite! Here’s how to create a sheet that’s sure to make your event an absolute success:
When it comes to signup sheet information, there are some essentials to include regardless of what you’re organizing:
When adding your slot information, clearly define what people are signing up for, especially for a what-to-bring list or role assignments. If you want someone to bring healthy snacks for kids to enjoy after a game, specify that. You want your volunteers to feel confident in what they’re bringing and to make it easy for them to know what’s expected of them. It will save them time and stress (and you, too!). That being said, if you make your ask too specific (for example, asking for a hard-to-source item or something expensive), you may not end up with a volunteer for it. So be clear about what you expect, but also be reasonable!
Aside from providing the basic signup information, you can also add optional descriptions to both your entire signup sheet and individual slots. While not required, they can help guide your volunteers further and provide more information. You can add information about allergies, preferences and general info about the event. You can also add a wish list to make it easier for your volunteers to bring exactly what you need!
Signup sheet templates offer a ton of advantages for both organizers and volunteers and with Evite SignUp Sheets, you'll enjoy even more benefits than other digital and paper signup sheets! Some benefits our signup sheet templates offer include:
With Evite SignUp Sheets, you can enjoy organizing and coordinating all your events with ease. Signup sheets streamline the signup process for everyone involved, ensuring that everything will go to plan on the day of your event while saving you precious time in the process.
