How to Host the Ultimate Thanksgiving Party This Year!

November is right around the corner and we all know what that means: it’s time to start thinking Thanksgiving! Too many people jump straight into the Christmas vibe as soon as October draws to a close, but there is so much Thanksgiving fun that gets overlooked if we put our Santa hat on too early! As we listen to every Christmas music album on repeat and begin our meal planning for the big day starting November 1st, we’re missing the chance to fully enjoy the wonderful time that is Thanksgiving.

This is the perfect in-between period: a sweet little interlude after the Halloween spookies and before the Christmas frenzy. Now, for all the Christmas lovers, we get you (I’d even say, we ARE you) but let’s think about Thanksgiving as the occasion to party, craft, DIY, bake, and eat twice as much as you would if you overlooked it! And if that doesn’t have you convinced we don’t know what will. So get your turkey hats on (they’re a bit weird, yes, but just go with the vibe), and let’s play hostess this Thanksgiving!

Tips & tricks for the most wonderful Thanksgiving party that this world has ever seen (trust us, this is not a hyperbole)!

All the buttery, comforting, and mouth-watering culinary goodness…

There are different schools when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner: the ones that try to innovate, the ones that mix in unexpected flavors, the ones that want to make it healthy, blah blah blah. We’re here to share our personal favorite when it comes to cooking and baking for your hosts this time of the year: the one and only traditional homey grandma’s-favorite style meal! Now now, no need to panic, you don’t have to go full in and roast a 30-pound turkey. However, nothing screams “keep the traditions alive please” more than your Thanksgiving dinner. You might want to stay in tune with the food restrictions of the ones who will be sitting at your table but whether vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free, there are so many delectable options to choose from in our traditional American seasonal cooking. A few of our personal favorites? We thought you’d never ask!

• Cheesy garlic Brussels sprouts bake for a delicious twist on the plain sprout
• Deliciously sweet honey-glazed carrots … Absolutely mouth-watering!
• Butternut squash with pecans and cranberries, aka THE flavors of the season
• Roasted garlic mashed potatoes (what’s a Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes, duh)
• Honey-baked ham that will win you friend of the year
• Turkey - otherwise known as the queen of Thanksgiving (the smaller ones are easier to cook and allow you to go crazy with the side dishes!)
• And the only way to end your dinner: pie! Apple or pumpkin, you do you, but pie is THE dessert of the moment!

I’m not a regular dinner party I’m a ✨Thanksgiving Dinner Party ✨

One of the key elements for a successful Thanksgiving dinner party is for your guests to enter your house (or flat, or room because you don’t need a mansion to throw an iconic party) and see, smell, and read THANKSGIVING. Don’t get us wrong, you don’t have to spend your salary at Target and stick pumpkin wallpaper on your walls to make it look super seasonal! We have summed up a few key ideas for a low-budget but high-quality looking decor:

1. Go heavy on the mini pumpkins and gourds to decorate your table - they’re cheap and they make it look SO Thanksgiving (bonus points because you can eat them once you take down the decor!)
2. Set a few fall-scented candles around the place so that your guests’ olfactive sensors start screaming Thanksgiving as soon as they step on the threshold.
3. Create festive dinner place settings by doodling little acorns, pumpkins, and leaves on the edges and writing on orange paper!
4. Get some fairy lights and fake leaves and create your own themed garland - set it in the middle of the table, above the mantelpiece, on the stairs, on top of cupboards, wherever you see fit! And here you go, budget-friendly, gorgeous, and so Thanksgiving!

What says Thanks"giving" better than a little personalized gift?!

Last but not least, the ultimate element to put your dinner party a step further and exceed all expectations is to welcome your guests with a personalized gift! We see you panicking over there: “adding presents to Thanksgiving? No way! This is going to be too much, how am I going to deal with that?”

We’ll let you in on a secret: no need to spend a lot of money or buy dozens of different presents here, it’s still Thanksgiving so we’ll wait until Christmas before breaking the piggy bank! That’s why we have the PERFECT ideas for you (yes, capitalized letters are needed here because it really is PERFECT): unique photos of you and each of your guests that capture the favorite moments you have with them!

With your Picta app, all you need is to pick your special pictures (there must be some amazing ones in that camera roll of yours) and get them printed on the same day. Because at Picta we are faster than Flash, you don’t even need to prep these in advance, it can be done totally last minute! We know, you love us (and your guests will too!)

In a nutshell, after following this guide to the ultimate Thanksgiving party, your guests will leave with: bellies full of a dinner so good it will be talked about for years to come, heads filled with laughs and souvenirs, and hands holding pics reminding them of the special bond you share!