An Event Organizer's Guide to Preparing for Thanksgiving | ACE Events + Home

Thanksgiving might look different this year because of the pandemic, but we're firm believers in making celebrations special regardless of guest count. 

Already, we've seen the articles circulating letting people know how to have a more low-key Thanksgiving holiday since they won't be socializing or hosting anyone outside of their household. 

There is a certain kind of bliss to sweatpants, but we'd like to make an argument against this mentality. Low-key doesn't mean minimal effort, it means scaling back.

A celebration is still a celebration, regardless of guest count. 

You'd be surprised how often we need to remind our clients of that, particularly those getting married. Sometimes, couples get caught up in what their guests expect of them based on trends rather than what they'd actually enjoy. 

"I know we like cupcakes, but would people rather have cake served?"

"We don't ever use a photo booth at other weddings, but all of our friends like them."

If you like cupcakes, serve cupcakes. If your guests don't like cupcakes, they don't need to eat them. It's isn't their wedding. Their job that day isn't to be impressed by you, it's to celebrate you. 

Thanksgiving and a wedding are different, but the idea remains the same in the example I've given: Don't let outside forces dictate your decision-making or influence what would make you happy. 

Thanksgiving 2020 is going to look different in many ways. That doesn't mean it needs to take on a less exciting tone.  We'd love to surround ourselves with loved ones, but many of us can't this year. What we can control? Enjoying the other parts of the festivities that we look forward to all year. 

In our home, we're celebrating by making our favorite foods, spiffing up the house, and practicing a heck of a lot of gratitude.

Below, you'll find our preparation plan and tips on how to make a simplified celebration feel like a celebration no matter how many are in your household. 

Yes, preparations begin this week. 

• Make a decision about who will be invited to your Thanksgiving meal. It's crazy that we're in a position to consider if celebrating with extended family is too risky, but that's the reality of where we are right now. You must do what feels comfortable for you and what's safest for loved ones. 
• Order a turkey. Consider checking-in with your local restaurants... many are offering turkey's as part of their Thanksgiving to-go menu and could use your support.
• Place a floral order. Speaking of support, consider purchasing a floral centerpiece from a local florist this season. ​

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It's all in the details, and this year they're for you.

• Decide on a menu. ​Is there a dish you've always wanted to try, but would have been a nightmare to make and serve to fifteen people? Now is your chance! 

• Delegate. There might be less to make, but the responsibility doesn't need to fall on you alone. Have a burgeoning baker in the house? Boom, dessert duty. A hesitant sous chef? Trust me, no pre-teen boy will pass up the opportunity to announce he's cutting the cheese (#appetizerduty). 
• ​Make grocery lists. ​Yep, that's plural. Make a perishable and non-perishable shopping list. 
• In the past, if you were having houseguests, this is when I'd tell you to start prepping the guest room. If someone from your quarantine circle is planning to stay with you for the holiday, keep this one on your list.
• Make and freeze dough for dinner rolls. The portions might be smaller, but anything you can prep and freeze in advance is still a win. ​​

• Start cleaning. This is the part where you might be laughing at me, rolling your eyes. But you deserve to celebrate in a freshly-cleaned home too. ​​

1. Clean the windows. If you're going to gaze longingly out at the world it might as well be through clear glass, yes?
2. Sweep and wipe the baseboards. And delegate one child to casually mention how lovely they look on Thanksgiving morning. 
3. Wash bedding. Especially if you are having houseguests. 

• Schedule your shopping trips. ​You might want to break them into trips for non-perishable and perishable items. Don't forget to bring along the lists you made!
• ​Keep cleaning.

1. Give the bathrooms a deep-clean. We're talking soap-scum, grout, the dusty vent... all of it.
2. Declutter the bedrooms. Especially the guest room if you're hosting houseguests.

• Decorate. If you have Thanksgiving-specific decorations, get them out! And if Halloween is still up (#NoJudgement), take it down. 
• Keep cleaning.

1. Straighten the coat closet. Even if you aren't making room for guest's coats, give this closet a spruce-up so it doesn't give you anxiety every time you open the door. Don't have the time but could still use the help? Connect with us! 
2. Give extra attention to area rugs.  Remember that when vacuuming a shag rug, it should be flipped over so as not to ruin it - run the vacuum along the bottom where the beater bars (the hard plastic-feeling stuff) are. 

• Stock your bar. Give non-alcoholic beverages thought too - a kid-friendly signature drink or punch will add a festive touch to the holiday! Did you know you can make a big-batch beverage and freeze it flat in sealed bags? 
• Clean the kitchen.

1. Clean the stovetop, surfaces, and grates.
2. ​Clean out the refrigerator to make space for your holiday grocery haul. Before refilling the fridge, wipe the shelves.
3. Wipe appliances that are sitting out. If you're feeling ambitious, you can also wipe those in drawers and cabinets.
4. Wipe the cabinet exteriors and any backsplash. You'd be surprised how much grease clings to these. And for the love of COVID-19, really disinfect those handles and pulls. 

• Prepare seating arrangements. If you're having guests, assigning seats helps with the awkward stumbling. Even if you're not hosting guests, assign your family to seats that they don't normally sit - the change will keep the meal from feeling like another weeknight dinner.
• Clean china, if applicable. 
• Make the dough for the pie crusts and freeze. You can freeze the dough in pie plates if you want to save yourself a step later.
• Move the turkey to the refrigerator to thaw. Depending on the size of your turkey, this might need to happen earlier. ​​

• Shop for perishable items if you haven't already.

• Make and freeze pumpkin or pecan pie's, if you wish to handle this early.
• Make gravy. ​After it cools, transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate. 
• Pick up your floral order. 
• Make cranberry sauce. After it cools, transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate.​
• Consolidate recipes. Make sure you've got all of the recipes you need and all of the ingredients. 

1. Dust ceiling fans and surfaces. As the weather changes and the heat comes on, the rotation of the ceiling fan changes in our house - if you don't know about this, look into it. To keep dust from flying around when you do this, get rid of the dust. You're welcome. 
2. Give the kitchen sink a good scrub. Feel free to scrub the bathroom sinks while you're at it. 
3. ​Sweep the entry. 

• Brine the turkey, if applicable.
• Dry stuffing bread(s). 
• Chop vegetables for recipes. ​Most vegetables can be stored in sealed bags or containers in the refrigerator overnight. 
• Bake pies, if you haven't already. Pumpkin is a custard pie, so it goes in the fridge. Pecan can stay out, covered, at room temperature. 
• Last big cleaning day.

1. Thoroughly clean the bathroom one more time. Since you gave it a deep-clean earlier, it should really just be minor maintenance now.
2. Sweep and vacuum. 
3. Mop the kitchen floor. 

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Stay tuned! We'll be releasing our day-of cooking timeline with recommended menu.