2023 Printable Thanksgiving Planner
Are you ready for Thanksgiving? Having a plan makes the day a little less harried. These Preparation Tips and this 2023 Printable Thanksgiving Planner will help you have a relaxed and stress-free day.
Do you hear it?
That’s Thanksgiving driving down your street.
Luckily, he doesn’t have GPS and won’t ask for directions, so he’ll be driving around for a few minutes more before he actually pulls into your driveway.
But in any event, you need to get your Thanksgiving Planning in gear.
A Thanksgiving Planner will make the big day a little smoother:
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Three Weeks Before Thanksgiving
Nail down your guest list…how many guests will be joining you for Thanksgiving?
Plan out your menu. What will you be serving?
Gather the recipes you will be using. Mark the cookbooks or print them off and put them together.
While you have your recipes, go ahead and write down your shopping list.
Make room in your freezer for preparations and leftovers.
If you need to order your Turkey, go ahead and do it.
When you have some time in the week before Thanksgiving, take some time to plan your table. By making and following a Thanksgiving Plan, you’ll be large and in charge as the date gets closer.
If you are hosting, then check your linens to make sure that they are clean and ironed.
If you are like me and use your crystal once or twice a year, then you might want to rinse the dust off of them…just saying.
Polish any silver you will be using
How is your candle inventory? I know I need to grab tea lights…but I’m staying away from the 1-hour burn time ones; I’m tired of those things burning out before dinner is over. I didn’t realize that there were 4- and 8-hour tea lights, so I just ordered a bag of these...thanks Amazon Prime!
Two Weeks Before Thanksgiving
Make Turkey Stock for your Gravy and freeze, or can it.
What else can you make ahead of time?
These Marinated Castelvetrano Olives are great nibbles that can be made ahead and refrigerated. I’m serving them in a sugar bowl that I found in a local thrift store.
Not only is this Winter Spiced Cranberry Conserve outstanding by the spoonful straight out of the jar on turkey, but it is also truly delicious over a wedge of warm brie for the perfect Thanksgiving appetizer. It is served in a creamer that pairs with the sugar bowl.
One Week Before Thanksgiving
Make room in your refrigerator by eating out of it for the week. If your fridge is on the smaller side, like mine, real estate in there is scarce!
Make your Pie Crusts. Wrap them well and freeze them until you need them next week.
Go ahead and set your table. That will give you a sense of what pieces you may need to clean and what pieces you may need to borrow.
I love my Juliska dishes, but I found these brown transferware salad plates at a local thrift store to add something different to my place setting. They weren’t expensive and played nicely with my white Juliska dishes.
I love these little place cards that I found in a cute little Columbia, SC store while we were ‘college shopping’ last month. Unfortunately, doesn’t look they are being sold anymore, but there are still plenty of charming Thanksgiving-themed place cards if you are looking for them.
Table of Contents
Do you have your centerpiece planned out and made?
- Use unique or personal pieces to make your table a reflection of you. This spoon in the Winter Spiced Cranberry Conserve was my baby spoon. I actually prefer it tarnished, so I rarely polish it…. I love the character of it.
Thanksgiving Week
I have the days of Thanksgiving Week planned out as well. By following my printable Thanksgiving Planner, my Thanksgiving Preparations are all about the food for the days before Thanksgiving.
Monday:
I will pick up my Fresh Turkey, and purchase the fresh vegetables from the grocery store
If your turkey is frozen, put it in the refrigerator to defrost. Count on a defrost time of 24 hours in the refrigerator for every 4-5 pounds of turkey.
Tuesday:
My mom will make Cranberry Relish (minus the red pepper flakes and peppercorns)
Wednesday:
Brine my Turkey
Clean and trim whatever vegetables I can do ahead of time
Cook sausage, onions, and celery for stuffing
Thursday:
In the morning:
- Peel and cube mashed potatoes and put in cold water with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice (to prevent browning) in the refrigerator
- Peel and slice apples and toss with lemon juice and refrigerate
- Make and bake pies
- Clean and cut celery for stuffed celery, prepare stuffing for stuffed celery
- Prepare stuffing and refrigerate until ready to be stuffed into turkey or baked separately.
In the early afternoon:
- Bake Turkey
- I can make the gravy earlier in the day with the turkey stock and add some drippings from the turkey right before serving.
- Prepare Vegetable Bundles
- Cook Potatoes
When everyone gathers:
- Serve warm brie with cranberry conserve
Half an hour before dinner:
- My dad will mash potatoes
- Bake Vegetable Bundles
- Kate will make the salad.
- Terry will carve the turkey
- Rob will fill water glasses and wine glasses and light the candles
- Mom and I will put the finishing touches on the meal.
When you have a Thanksgiving Plan and can space the chores out, it makes the day just that much more enjoyable.
This Printable Thanksgiving Planner will help you stay on task with your Thanksgiving Preparations. Click the button below to have the Thanksgiving Planner sent to your inbox.
If you still need more fall decor ideas, check out my fall ‘open house’ with natural decor for more inspiration!
What Thanksgiving Preparations have you made or will you make to make Thanksgiving a little more relaxed in your house? What does your Thanksgiving Planner look like?
Thanks so much for spending a few minutes of your busy day with me!
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Until next time…
What a lovely table! Just me and my husband for Thanksgiving dinner this year, but I will be rolling out the best silver and crystal for our celebration. Also celebrating 46 years of marriage!
Happy Thanksgiving to “Thee and Thine”! I am thankful for YOU!!
Hey Lesley…well…truth time. We will actually be celebrating Thanksgiving on Wednesday since my parents will be heading out of town on Thursday. Think on Thursday we will start decorating for Christmas since my daughter will be home for just a few days before she has to head back to school
I am so glad you will be pulling out all the stops for your combo 46th Anniversary (!!!!) and Thanksgiving. Congratulations and How blessed you are!
And I am so grateful to be counted as one of your blessings! Thank you. In return, I must say that it’s readers like you that keep me going each day, that bring me joy and gratitude for this little business/hobby that I so enjoy.
Thank you my friend!
Hugs, Lynn
Lynn,
What a beautiful Thanksgiving Table!!! Your recipes look scrumptious! I love your centerpiece and gorgeous vintage dishes! Your ideas and list are fabulous!
Aw thanks Janine, appreciate your kind words. We are ready for the big day! I hope your day with your family is delightful as well! Happy Thanksgiving.
What a beautiful and festive table setting Lynn, I am sure you will have such a wonderful day, you are so organized, I love that! And I wish I could have some of those pies….it must all be so delicious! Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving, Hugs!
Thanks for swinging by my friend! We are ready for Thanksgiving, in fact we are celebrating it a day early because my parents have to head out of town so we will be starting our Christmas decorating on Thursday!!
Lynn, your table looks perfect! I love the dishes and they pair so well with the brown salad plates. Your recipes also sound wonderful. I do wish we lived closer. We could have so much fun so let’s try to plan something at the lake house, seriously. I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
What a beautiful Thanksgiving Table Lynn! I bet you and your family will enjoy every minute of it!! Love all of your tips on getting all organised.
Hey Sam, we will very much enjoy our day of feasting! Thanks for swinging by!
Loved so much about this Lynn! Love your sense of humor AND your organization. I need all the reminders and help I can get and this was VERY helpful!
xoxo Jodie & Julie
So very glad that you found a few useful tidbits! I love reading what works for others too. Thanks for swinging by and Happy Thanksgiving!
What an elegant table, it is so pretty. I also loved your list. I have hosted Thanksgiving for almost 20 years, but I still collect organizational tips from other hostesses! Your leaf place cards are so cute!!
Thanks Kellie…isn’t that true! We figure out what works for us and I love reading what works for others. Thanks for stopping by.
Everything looks so beautiful, Lynn. I love your dishes, they match so perfectly! All of your tips are so helpful too. I’ve jotted down a few for this year. I’m having more folks over than I thought and they will be so helpful!
Hi Carolann…thanks for stopping by! I hope your Thanksgiving is fantastic!
This is so beautiful!!! I love how you shared your daily schedule with us! I have been hosting for many years, but I still get great ideas from others who are organized like you!
Thanks so much Kellie…we all have tips that work for us and I always find it so helpful to hear what works for others. Happy Thanksgiving.
Such great tips and your table looks beautiful! Love those plates!
Lynn, your Thanksgiving table is absolutely gorgeous. Love that brown transfer ware and how fun to use your baby spoon for the cranberry sauce. I can not believe how organized you are with your Thanksgiving list! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving next week!!!
Love your beautiful Thanksgiving table setting! So warm and welcoming! Have a great Thanksgiving.
I am dragging my heels slowly preparing for Thanksgiving on Thursday. You have given me inspiration to prepare a pretty table and make everything a little more special. Thank you.
C’mon Leslie, you can do it!!!
I didn’t get as much done yesterday as I had hoped, and will be out all day today with my Dad, so looks like I’ll be a busy gal tomorrow!
Wishing you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Hugs, Lynn
FABULOUS !
Table setting is gorgeous, I always enjoy Monday Musings and learn so much …… going to try the Turkey Stock🥰
Happy Holidays to you and your family
Thanks Sandra! I’m excited to have our family around the table this year again! And I am so glad that you learned something from the newsletter!
I hope you have a wonderful holiday as well.
Many, many hugs
Lynn