Good Hosting Habits to Follow this Thanksgiving
Whether it’s your first home or your tenth, hosting Thanksgiving dinner for the first time is always so exciting for homeowners!
Until the nerves kick in. Then, it’s easy to lose sight of the occasion and think only of the things that stress you out about it. But not to worry – your local experts on the Michelle Clark Team are here to help! Take our handy hints to heart, and your guests will be raving in no time about the wonderful holiday they spent in your home.
Limit your screen time
We live a lot of our lives on screens these days, and in some ways, doing so makes simple tasks much easier and allows us to get things done that much faster. But they can also be a buzzkill during the holidays, impeding dinnertime conversation and preventing family and friends from living in the present and enjoying time together. So this Thanksgiving, we suggest cutting down on your own screen time, at least by a little bit, and taking in the togetherness. As a host, you need to be in tune with your guests anyway, and you can hardly do that if you’re letting emails and social media notifications distract you. And who knows? Maybe your company will even follow suit.
Check your lists at least twice
Over-preparedness is not a real thing when it comes to hosting others for a big holiday meal. You’ve undoubtedly made several lists for the menu and other supplies you might need to accommodate everyone. Now it’s time to really delve into a holiday season mindset and check all of those lists at least twice to make sure you have everything in order. When you’re on top of those to-dos, you might even discover a few that you didn’t think of before, and that will help head off awkward or disastrous complications later, like having to find a grocery store that’s open and stocked on the holiday when the turkey is overcooked or the pies burn.
Hope for the best
…But yes, go ahead and plan for the worst-case scenario. Not to be pessimistic, but these tend to occur when you haven’t prepared for them in advance. In keeping with our advice about staying on top of all your lists, we recommend coming up with a few contingency plans and back-up measures to keep your holiday afloat. The turkey didn’t turn out well? No problem, because you thought ahead and had another, or perhaps a few steaks ready to go in its stead. Even if those back-up plans don’t exactly jive with a traditional Thanksgiving holiday, it’s all about keeping your guests – and you – happy.
Feeling better about your hosting duties? Great – now you can dive right into your preparations with ease. And for more household tips and holiday hacks, stay tuned to the Michelle Clark Team’s blog.