The holiday season is in full swing now with Halloween behind us and Thanksgiving looming, followed closely by Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve. That means your preparation for Thanksgiving has probably already started, and we have some ideas and suggestions to help you plan the best Thanksgiving party ever.
Start with Food
When a holiday centers around the dinner table, it makes sense to plan the menu first. While many of us can’t separate a Thanksgiving party from the idea of a roasted turkey, there are many other choices for an excellent holiday meal.
How about looking at other cultures? A bevvy of flavors are found around the world, and you can offer a sampling of many or just center on one. Trays of lasagna paired with tortilla soup and pastries could bring in an Italian feel, while family-style Chinese lends itself perfectly to a large gathering. Or how about having an “It’s a Small World” kind of dinner with everyone bringing their favorite ethnic dish? What a great way to join your guests in a feast of gratitude!
For non-meat eaters, the holidays are perfect because there are usually a multitude of side dishes from which to choose. If you’d like to provide the herbivores with a “meatier” main dish, Tofurky offers a vegan alternative to the traditional turkey, and sits nicely alongside the standard main dish.
Remember to provide plenty of snack options while the turkey and other goodies cook. Everything from chips and dip to sweet-and-sour meatballs works; ask your guests to provide hors d’oeuvres so you can focus on the main feast, or create options that can be made and frozen ahead of time to make life easier.
Create Some Fun
As is typical with food-centered parties, the standard Thanksgiving party starts about an hour before the meal is served and ends within minutes of the dessert dishes being cleared. You can extend the length of time guests feel comfortable staying when you add activities that have nothing to do with food.
Traditionally, football goes hand-in-hand with a fun Thanksgiving party. If you and your guests are fans, keep the TV on in the background (and on screens around the house) to provide a distraction while you’re cooking and prepping. A half-time game of touch football in the backyard or nearby park is a great way to get guests engaged and have a little fun; just be sure to forewarn them so they’re not trying to run around in heels and suits!
You can also provide some non-traditional fun for your Thanksgiving party guests in the way of a bounce house or inflatable movie screen. The bounce house is great for all ages and will definitely keep the kids engaged. And a backyard movie screen is ideal for showing either the game or movies under the stars. Set up your meal outside as well and you’ll create a new tradition perfect for the desert!
Need some help with your Thanksgiving party essentials, whether tables and linens or a bounce house? The party professionals at White Knight Party Rentals are available to provide insight. Give us a call at 602-277-2789 to get started!