We’ve hosted Thanksgiving dinner for family and friends for the past 18 years. While the guests change, the general set-up requirements don’t.
Because the routine is similar each year, I typically manage the shopping and the day-of prep activities from memory.
But, inevitably I miss a few key items. And chaos always reigns during that last 20 minutes before the feast. A dozen dishes needed to be warmed, plated and served up on the holiday table—all at once.
This year 2 weeks before the holiday, I created a ‘Holiday Hosting Plan’
Using my Reminders app, on a whim, I made two simple checklists:
I then shared both these lists with my husband.
To my surprise, for the first time in 18 years, I was able to relax a bit and enjoy the day
By Wednesday morning, I was confident we had gathered all our provisions. No last-minute trip to busy stores.
On Thursday morning, looking over my list, I calculated that I could comfortably postpone all the prep until noon and still be ready for our 3-pm show time.
These lists let me indulge in a leisurely morning workout and a long hot shower.
But the biggest help?
The ‘Game Day Serving Plan’ proved to be a savior during the 20 minutes before dinner. You know, when the turkey is done cooking, there are 8 sides to reheat/prep—plus 10 people tugging at your sleeve in the hot kitchen asking, “How can I help?”
With all the dishes laid out in advance, I could literally point to every answer.
For once, it all felt so easy.
So what exactly were these ‘Holiday Hosting Plans‘ that made this day flow so smoothly?
All it takes is a phone or tablet with an app like Reminders, Microsoft To-Do, or Google Keep.
And about 20 minutes to imagine yourself walking through each step of the day.
1. Plot out your ‘Provisions Plan’—up to 2 weeks before
My husband and I share a running Grocery List in our Reminders app.
Over the last several years we’ve both developed the habit to consult and check off items on this list whenever we are at the grocery store.
Because we use that system to share grocery shopping responsibilities, I decided to try out a special shared Thanksgiving Grocery List this year.
(I continued to maintain our regular Grocery List separately.)
Thanksgiving requires we hit several different stores: the generic grocery store, the liquor store, and the butcher. So I separated our supplies by store.
Seeing items grouped by store ensured that we didn’t neglect any items while we were there.
(The only downside to this system was some awkward shuffling between this and our regular grocery lists in the week leading up to Thanksgiving.)
Yet, I expect to continue to use this same dual-list grocery system in the future, for two reasons:
- Last minute perishables: Many of the Thanksgiving List items have to be obtained on the Tuesday or Wednesday before Thanksgiving to ensure food is last-minute fresh. If they were on the regular grocery list, we might have picked them up too early.
- Reusability: I’ve archived Thanksgiving Grocery list. So a year from now, as I prepare for Thanksgivings, I’ll unarchive it. Presto! I’ve got a nearly-done starting point. I can just look it over to see if anything has changed. (Not having to rewrite lists for repeatable actions wins me over every time!)
2. Set up your ‘Game Day Serving Plan’—by the morning of
From the many parties and holiday dinners we’ve hosted over the years, there’s inevitably at least a few hours of set-up for each event.
And though I have a family of willing helpers, everyone turns to me to ask what needs to be done.
This year I took another 20 minutes first thing Thanksgiving morning to plot out the details of the day. Again I used the Reminders app, and called this list Thanksgiving – Game Day Plan.
I plotted out the details in sections:
- Set up equipment (add table expansion leaves, lay out folding and serving tables). My husband and sons do the heavy lifting, but always ask what’s needed. This year, instead of asking me, they consulted this list—allowing me to sneak in a quick workout in the basement without interruption.
- Set dining room table: This includes all the place and table settings for the main dining room table and side serving tables. My daughter usually enjoys this activity. My list ensured nothing was inadvertently left off.
- Food prep: This was all the stuff we needed to do well before we put the turkey in the oven and the guests arrived. Two of my kids helped me slice and dice from the list, and we worked through it quickly since I already knew what needed to be teed up next.
- Lay Out Serving Dishes & Self-Serve Plates: This became the unforeseen genius move of the day. I laid out all the various utensils and platters we would use on our kitchen table. When it came time for the last 20 minutes before dinner, our clan of helpers could grab what they needed from that stash. No rummaging through cupboards or running to the basement pantry to locate serveware.
- Serve Lists (Appetizers, Dinner, Dessert): This was a helpful checklist to consult to make sure I didn’t forget anything. Other than laying out appetizers, I didn’t actually need to consult them. However, these lists helped me figure out the serving dishes I would need.
As with the Thanksgiving Grocery List, I’ve archived this Game Day List for reuse next time. When I resurrect it next November, I’ll give it quick once over to tweak it. The planning process should take 5 minutes—tops—next time.
20-minutes of pre-Holiday planning bought hours of day-of relaxation
OK, maybe it took a little longer than 20 minutes to construct these Holiday Hosting Plan lists. I didn’t actually time it out.
However, it saved me hours of anxiety and panic. And the day just flowed easily—despite my hosting obligations.
I’ve archived this entire Plan for next year, both the Provisions list and the Game Day Serving list.
And I even plan to deploy a revised version for our next holiday dinner gathering: Christmas.
Because I can resurrect these plans with just a few clicks, I’ll maybe devote 10 minutes to the next incarnation—tops. Now here’s a gift—minimal stress—that I’m looking forward to during this busy holiday season!