6 Tips To Plan A Successful Thanksgiving Gathering
When the holiday season approaches, it is once again time to don one's hosting hats to organise a gathering or two for marking the festivities. And one such coming together of friends, family and relatives can be brought about on thanksgiving eve which precedes the holidays. This gathering constitutes mingling with one another, sipping on drinks and munching on tasty food.
And while planning such a casual hang might seem simple, there are multiple aspects that need to be looked after to ensure the evening is well-organised. From picking a theme to planning the menu, a lot goes into planning a gathering for thanksgiving.
Here are some quick tips that might come in handy for hosting a successful thanksgiving gathering at home during the festive season:
Pick A Suitable Theme
One of the most essential tips for planning a thanksgiving gathering is to settle upon a theme. With this, it becomes possible to decide the menu, decor and even the dress code that would make up the event.
A theme also enables one to work on crafting a suitable vibe for the evening gathering. Since thanksgiving itself comes under the holiday festivities, one of the themes that could work during this time is fall harvest or country barn.
This would mean introducing rustic motifs into the evening like wooden cutlery and serving ware, seasonal decor such as pine cones and sofas and rugs featuring warm colour tones.
Craft A Customised Menu
Another useful tip for hosting this gathering is to customise a menu well in advance. This will allow one to go shopping for seasonal produce and other groceries with time enough to cook for the big gathering.
Plan for preparing pies and pastries, charcuterie boards and mezze platters and cheese dips and hummus so guests can munch on these foods all through the evening.
Also have in place both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink options and prepare cocktails such as rum punch along with mocktails like a ginger and cranberry fizz.
Set The Ambience
The next hack in planning a thanksgiving gathering is to set a suitable ambience. This setting has to resonate with the theme of the party and constitutes everything from the seating, lighting and the decor to the food and serving ware that make up the event.
If the theme is a rustic barn affair then design dim lighting in the form of fairy lights and yellow bulbs and go for decor materials such as dried flowers, pinecones and even some barley or wheat stalks arranged in tall vases.
Dress Code The Gathering
Another tip while planning a social event that comes in handy for setting the tone of the gathering is deciding a dress code.
For a thanksgiving party which constitutes a rustic ambience, the dress code can be country casual meaning guests can come wearing comfortable floral dresses, flannel or paisley shirts and jackets.
However, for an urban look, go for smart casuals like long cocktail dresses and suits to bring a more formal touch into the gathering.
Plan Activities
Another hack to make the event more pronounced is to plan activities around thanksgiving while remaining close to the theme of the gathering. So, one can plan for food and drink tastings, some trick or treating activities and even a hunt with prizes for the winners.
Also, it is also possible to arrange a mixology class for an intimate gathering so the small group can prepare and sip on the alcoholic and non-alcoholic blends prepared during the session.
DIY Serving Booth
One of the ways to ensure a smooth flow at such a semi formal gathering is to have a DIY serving booth. Simply place platters of food on these stations so guests can have a bite or two of the snacks planned for the evening.
Also, create DIY stations like a taco stand where guests can make their own snacks using the vegetables, dips, meats and cheeses arranged in aesthetic containers on the counter.
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