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Thanksgiving Planning Checklist

Thanksgiving is a little more than a week away! For those of you who are still scrambling to get your Thanksgiving dinners or parties together, I've prepared a basic Thanksgiving party planning checklist to help you along.

Food: What will you be serving? How much of it can you buy now? How much needs to be bought the day before or on Thanksgiving? Are there any allergies to be accounted for? Be sure to compile a thorough list of the foods you plan to serve and to double check that stores in your area will be open on Thanksgiving so that you don't end up having to buy a less than reliable pumpkin pie from the local gas station.

Decorations: Have you thought out your table setting scheme? What colors will you be incorporating into the Thanksgiving decorations throughout the house? While this may seem trivial now, it's always better to know ahead of time that you don't have enough candles for the entryway or that you need to find a few more chairs for the family members who have only just RSVP'd to your Thanksgiving invitation.

Seating: Do your in-laws hate your cousin Al? Do your two nephews always fight if they're put next to each other for more than ten minutes at a time? Planning out your Thanksgiving dinner seating chart ahead of time will help you make sure that your family and friends are seated in a way that's conducive to holiday happiness as opposed to Turkey Day tension.

Entertainment: What music will you play? Does your family have a traditional Thanksgiving game you need to organize ahead of time? How will you keep the kids entertained once they're done eating and the adults still want to sit around the table talking? Knowing the Turkey Day game plan ahead of time will help you be able to delegate tasks or ask other family members for help when you're trying to get three different pies into the oven, brew coffee and clean up Aunt Sally's red wine spill.

Following this simple Thanksgiving party checklist will help to ensure that you've covered all the bases by the time your guests start to arrive. Remember, taking your party planning step by step allows you to relax and avoid getting overwhelmed as the party date looms closer on the horizon. Good luck and remember to breathe!

Enjoy Planning.
Penelope

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