Holiday Planning Tips

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With friends and family over for Thanksgiving dinner, you want your home to make a wonderful first impression as they walk in. Most hosts stress over the meal; however, there’s much more to Thanksgiving dinner
than the meal. Not only do you need to prepare the table, you need to
prepare your home.

~Front Door

This is the first thing your guests will see. If your front door isn’t
your main door, you will want to decorate your main door instead. Place
a few bales of hay on either side of the door with medium pumpkins on
top. A simple scarecrow leaning against one of the bales or attached to
a post on your porch will add to your door’s Thanksgiving charm. As a
final touch, hang a Thanksgiving wreath on your door. The wreath can be
anything in fall colors, but turkeys, scarecrows, and fall leaf
arrangements work best.

~Living Room or Den

Guests normally gather in the living room before and after dinner.
Shouldn’t this room be just as festive as the dining room? First and
foremost, clear the clutter. Clean the areas of your home guests will
be using. After cleaning, you will need artificial flowers and/or
leaves in fall colors. Create centerpieces for side and coffee tables.
You can also place run a string of artificial leaves around mantles and
entertainment centers.

Place a short table runner with a Thanksgiving theme on your coffee
table, if you have one. Place small pumpkins and gourds around the
centerpieces for an added Thanksgiving touch.

~Bathroom

Most people forget about the bathroom. Decorating your bathroom will
impress your guests. A few orange and burgundy towels help add a touch
of fall to the room. You can also find towels with turkeys and pilgrims
on them during October and November. Many stores sell soaps with a
Thanksgiving shape or theme. To go the extra mile, add artificial
leaves around the back edge of your bathroom’s counter.

~Dining Room

For your dining room, you want everything to be perfect. You’ve worked
hard on the meal. However, presentation is key. Invest in a good
Thanksgiving tablecloth to cover the entire table. If the tablecloth is
slick on top, be sure to have non-slip mats for your dishes.

Create a centerpiece for the center of the table. This can
include flowers, leaves, pumpkins, gourds, and even candles. If you
don’t have the time to create your own, you can purchase both real and
artificial arrangements at your local florist or craft store.

To help make Thanksgiving perfect, prepare your home with the same care
you prepare your meal. Your guests will be talking about it for years
to come.


by C.D. Crowder