I’m Hosting My First Thanksgiving!

October 25, 2023

Come along on my journey to hosting my first thanksgiving this year! We’re opening our home to our families for the biggest food holiday of the year, which can be quite intimidating, so I’m taking it step-by-step and taking you along for the ride with me!

I’m almost 35 and this year (2023) I will be hosting my first Thanksgiving!

As an avid cook, recipe developer, and cookbook author you may think “NO BIG DEAL…”

But, au contraire, my friends!

This is the SUPER BOWL of food holidays… and I have a husband and family who loves to eat so I’ve got to do this right!

Plus, the pizza place is closed on Thanksgiving, right?

Whether you’ve hosted 20 Thanksgivings or this is your first too, I’d love for you to come along on my journey to hosting my first Thanksgiving!

Why am I sharing my journey to hosting my first Thanksgiving?

The simple answer is: I thought it would be fun and light, and we can all use some lighthearted content these days, no?

I’m NOT about to get political, but since the October 7th terrorist attacks in Israel I’ve been feeling a bit disconnected, stressed, sad, and anxious. While I’m doing everything I can to help the innocent civilians on both sides from my safe home in New York, I need a distraction. Not to forget (because I could never), but to feel like I’m doing something that adds positivity in the world.

So thanks for being here and coming along this journey with me!

How My Family Celebrates Thanksgiving

Before I dive into planning and executing on my first Thanksgiving, I think it’s important to share some insight about how my family celebrates Thanksgiving.

For as long as I can remember, my parents alternated Thanksgiving. One year with my Mom’s side of the family, the next with my Dad’s. My siblings continued this pattern with our spouses as well so it’s fairly distributed.

My husband (Scott) and I are both one of three kids, but my husband’s family is a bit more spread out than mine so the every other year thing doesn’t always work.

This year, it’s just my in-laws and my family. As such, it’s easier to host the holidays in our house so the kids have all their toys (and crib for when Sage gets tired), and we can also invite my parents and grandma who live nearby since my siblings are with their significant others.

Both my mom and mother-in-law are fantastic cooks. So the pressure is on, but know that I’ll also have a lot of help from two moms who have done this many times before for both small and large crowds.

When do we celebrate Thanksgiving?

Obviously on Thanksgiving, but specifically, we do a large early dinner – so we’ll probably call the evening for like 3pm?

This way I’ll have my daughter’s naptime to prep (she naps 1-3pm), and then everyone can come for apps, and we’ll eat around 4:30pm.

The First Steps to Hosting My First Thanksgiving

Now that we’ve declared we’re hosting Thanksgiving, I want to share the first steps I’m taking that will lead to a successful holiday…

Of course I want to note that it’s about a month-out from the big day!

First, I made a to-do list (see image below).

I brain-dumped EVERYTHING I could think of that I’ll need to do leading up to Thanksgiving. No task was too small for my Thanksgiving to-do list.

Next, I researched like hell because I’m hosting my first Thanksgiving and it’s INITIMIDATING!

I’m of the belief that knowledge is power, so I researched Thanksgiving timelines, menus, and of course tablescapes!

Some questions I asked my trusty friend Google…

How big of a turkey do you need for Thanksgiving?
What tools do you need to cook a turkey?
Should you brine the turkey?
How long does it take to defrost a turkey?
Where should you buy your turkey? (Silly question, I suppose, but there are so many places!)

Now, it’s time for the guest list!

I’ll be sure to have this finalized by the start of November. We’re lucky in that most of our family is local, so we don’t have to worry about flights and the like.

The last “first step” I’m taking is planning the menu…

…but more on that in my next post! Any suggestions? I know I need a vegan stuffing for my dad, and probably some mashed potatoes (although I’d prefer smashed potatoes, so maybe those?)… and a turkey (which I’m modeling off of my no-fail Roasted Chicken recipe)…

My First Thanksgiving Timeline

Now that you see everything I have to do, I’ve given myself deadlines to make sure I stay on track. Here’s a peek inside the timeline that works for me (keep in mind I’m traveling a long week in November, so I won’t have every weekend to get ahead!)

Send out all invites by 10/30
Set menu by 11/6
Assign dishes to guests by 11/9
Make breads by 11/16 (& freeze)
Make applesauce & chop for cooking 11/21
GO TIME is on 11/23

I’m so excited that you’re here to follow along on my journey to planning (and executing) my first Thanksgiving!

Check back next week for an update!