Party Planner Thanksgiving Dinner

Lay out a plan of attack with the following: menu, shopping list, drinks (3-4 options are best), cleaning entertaining spaces and, of course, cooking. Plan to cook over a two-day period so that you’re not up late in the kitchen the night before. Your to-do list is your entertaining bible, so take time laying it out.

After creating your shopping list, hop in the car to get shopping. Buying seasonally not only guarantees fresh foods, but also saves money. Take time to price compare as many stores will have sales on staples like cranberry sauce, stuffing, and turkeys. Your wallet will be happy that you didn’t wait ‘til the last minute to shop. Plus, you’ll have more cash for those after-Thanksgiving sales.

Take a few minutes to go through your kitchen to take stock of what you have. Look for serving platters, roasting pans, skillets, enough dishes and silverware for all of your guests, wine glasses, and those fussy things we often forget like can openers and gravy boats.

This is something my mother taught me to do before all of the parties she threw. Setting the table days before not only allows you to cross something off of your to-do list, but it also gets you thinking about anything else you may need or special touches you would like to add to the feast.

Just because you’re with family, doesn’t mean that this dinner has to be like all of the rest. Spice things up by creating a signature cocktail like a Baileys Caramel Appletini or creating place card holders with mini pumpkins. Those special touches are great conversation starters.

Have one of the kids whip up a playlist on the iPod and connect it to your home stereo. No need to be too cheesy, but music can set the tone for a fun, homey holiday dinner. Our picks include songs by Rene Touzet, Miguel, Les Nubians and Jack Johnson.

A true hostess thinks of everything, or at least she tries. Don’t forget to stock up on enough paper towels for spills, extra toilet paper in the bathrooms, ample Tupperware, foil and plastic wrap for doggie bags and be sure to DVR all of the football games. Don’t want dad to miss out on the Bowl games.

Don’t be afraid to get your guests involved. Encourage them to bring either a dessert, bottle of champagne or wine. Stick to one of these and tell all of your guests to bring something to contribute to the meal.

Gather together some of the seasons best to make a fun showpiece. Use pumpkins, squash, acorns and other long-lasting items to create a centerpiece days before the event. Like the other tips, by doing a little every day you will arrive at Thanksgiving stress-free.

Give your guests a farewell gift to remember the evening. A parting gift is another warm touch to make your feast stand out. A few suggestions include small loaves of pumpkin spice bread that you baked and packaged, apple cider candles or the recipe to the signature cocktail printed on a small notecard.