Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays! I love waking up in the morning, making a big breakfast and watching the Thanksgiving Parade with my children. As soon as it ends, I start my Thanksgiving Feast. Through the years (and two kids later), I have learned a few tips and tricks to make Thanksgiving less stressful and even enjoyable! Below are my top 10 things to do to ensure a great Thanksgiving filled with memories with loved ones. Feel free to add any additional tips that have worked for you as well. I look forward to hearing from you!

1. Set your table the night before. It’s one less thing you have to do the day of and it always makes me feel so accomplished and inspired to see the table set up.
2. Take out and label all of your serving platters, dishes, serving ware and roasting pan. I usually label which food is going in which platter with a post it note. There’s nothing more stressful than realizing the day of that you can’t find your special Thanksgiving serving platters or that you’re missing a dish for that additional new recipe you’re making. You’ll be grateful knowing that you have everything out and organized.
3. Set up your coffee and tea station the day before. Have your sugars, milk containers, tea bags and cups out. Ensure that you have everything you need like milk, half and half, sugar substitutes etc. This is something that I’ve noticed few people think about until they actually have to set it up. Definitely something to take care of sooner rather than later so all you have to do is brew your coffee when it’s time for dessert!
4. Prep your house for your guests. Ensuring you have a full bottle of hand soap in the bathroom to enough hangers in your closet will make your day go that much smoother. The last thing you need in the middle of cooking and guests arriving is realizing that you don’t have a place to hang the coats! Sound silly but I’ve been there and it’s not fun.
5. Verify with your guests what they are going to bring so you don’t end up with three pumpkin pies and no stuffing. Always good to do this a few days before so you know exactly what you need to make.
6. Figure out what you’re going to wear the day before. This is especially important if you have kids. You don’t want to realize the morning of Thanksgiving that your child outgrew their tights or shoes and now they can’t wear their special Thanksgiving dress you bought. As a general rule of thumb, I typically lay out my children’s clothes the night before. Just helps the morning go that much more smoother.
7. Remember breakfast! Yes you’ve been cooking for days! However, you still need to have something in the morning. It can be something as simple as bagels and cream cheese or cereal. However, definitely make sure you have something so you don’t end up eating one of your Thanksgiving side dish for breakfast. Unless of course you enjoy eating mashed potatoes for breakfast, then have at it!
8. Make sure you have “to go” containers. Every year, I end up giving away all of my containers and I never get them back. This year, I made sure to buy to go containers for my guests. I was pleasantly surprised on how many great and inexpensive options were out there!
9. Make you life easier and use paper goods wherever you feel it’s appropriate. I love setting up a table with plates, wine glasses, etc. However, I always have paper dessert plates and disposable coffee cups for Thanksgiving. It makes cleanup that much easier and now there are so many options for super cute dessert plates, you almost have to get them.
10. ENJOY! After all the planning, cooking and chaos, make sure to stop, look around and enjoy the moment. This year, more than ever, we need to take time to give thanks for all that we do have. Wishing you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving!