My favorite tips as we prepare for the Holidays
November has arrived and so have the notes and planning as we get ready to host our family for the holidays. There is such joy in the preparation and even more when we all get together if we have time to get ready, to prep, make grocery lists and plans so we aren’t bowled over by it all the day before the family arrives. There is so much potential for joy. Here’s how I am planning for the holidays, the lists I’m making, our own thanksgiving dinner menu, decor details and heart reminders. All so the holiday season can be full of joy as we prepare and welcome our family and friends in.
My number one tip!
You are not supposed to do this alone
Hosting and the joy of the holiday season is meant to be shared. Invite your family to help as you get your home ready, and for the prep or decor or dessert making, or shopping or decorating…Welcome the help, delegate, let folks bring things to share. The holidays are not about perfection, this is about celebrating life together. Go ahead, take a big deep breath and tell yourself - let people help, it will be more fun for everyone!
Menu!
Make what everyone is hoping for.
I love to get creative and make all sorts of new recipes but for the holidays I’ve realized that everyone is hoping for their favorites. So before we ever start prepping any menus, I ask everyone, what are your favorites? Because, sometimes they surprise me with what they say when I ask :
What dishes do you look forward to?
What drinks do you like?
What’s your favorite dessert?
Then we create the menu and let the family claim which dishes they’ll be bringing. Here’s our Menu this year, it’s full of all of the typical dishes because when we polled the family this is what everyone was hoping for! I noted the dishes that I would make ahead if they are on my ‘to make list’.
Our Family Thanksgiving Feast
Turkey + Gravy (prep the turkey the day before)
Sweet Potato Pie (make ahead!)
Mashed Potatoes
Green Bean Casserole (make ahead!)
Stuffing (make ahead!)
Roasted Vegetable Winter Salad (make ahead!)
Dinner Rolls (make ahead!)
Appetizers
Spiced Nuts (make ahead!)
Roasted Yam Round Crostinis (make ahead!)
Charcuterie Grazing Boards to keep everyone happy from breakfast to dinner
Drinks
Fresh Cider
Hard Cider
Frosted Cranberry Cocktails (I’ll be sharing this recipe soon!)
Martinellis
Table Settings
Use what you have and make dinner fun!
We’re hosting the big Welk Clan this year with 22 of us around our table. We’re moving out furniture and making space for everyone to have a seat at the table with kids and adults all sitting together.
The table is a mash up of cozy candles and cloth napkins and funny questions tucked into everyone’s place cards to keep the laughs and fun stories from good old days and great days to come.
Be sure to hop on over to instagram to follow @kellywelk as we get our table ready. I’ll be sharing more about all of the details as we gather them from our collection of candle sticks and table runners, cloth napkins and fresh rosemary from the garden plus dried flowers and dried oranges.
While we gather the table decor, we’re making a seating chart with place cards included to help mix up the seating so the little nephews get to be near each other but also surrounded by Uncles and Aunts and Grandparents too.
If you have new folks joining you this year, or you had an awkward gathering last time - click here to read my fave tips on how to avoid the awkward dinner party.
Prep
Do what you can now
What can you prep! From table decor to extra foam pads for the kids to sleep on, this is the best time to think through all of it and make your prep list.
Who’s sleeping where and what do you need to have them bring to help out?
Who’s arriving when? What meals will you eat together, plan for easy and fun!
What are you making? How can you prep it?
Here’s a few other things I’m prepping ahead of time:
Drink Fixings: candied cranberries, dried oranges, cranberry simple syrup
Spiced Nuts
Place Cards + Place Card Holders
Floral Chandelier (tune in to Instagram for what I’m creating this year!)
We’ll set the table Wednesday night so it’s ready for us on Thursday
Now, look at your lists and find what you have time to do this week. Gather the supplies, text the family, make the plans and get as much done as you can because there will be plenty of things you must do when everyone arrives!
Lastly friend, enjoy. If it’s all feeling like too much, then go back to tip #1 and ask for more help.
