Hosting Thanksgiving on a budget

I do not know where the year went but it is already a week before thanksgiving 2024 as I am writing this. I love hosting events big or small and this year I decided to do a smaller thanksgiving gathering. From experience, you can definitely have a successful event on a smaller budget so I wanted to share some tips that I will be using now and in the future.

Decorations

It can be really tempting to scroll through pinterest and want to go all out for decorations. But that can be expensive and time consuming. This year, I am focusing on the decorations I deem “essential”: tablecloths, napkins, wall photo op and food labels.

Fabric tablecloths or table runners are my go to because they can be washed and used for different occasions and saved for next year. Typical fall colors include mustard yellow, pumpkin orange, olive green, burgundy, chocolate brown, marigold, navy and gray. I decided not to add too much to the table because it can get cluttered while eating and storing small trinkets. Instead, just having the tablecloth or runner and coordinating plates, napkins and eating utensils are more than enough.

Napkins are not really decor but they can enhance the coordinated look by complimenting the color of the tablecloth. Because I am extra, I like to fold the napkins in a tri-fold and place the silverware in each pocket. It is a nice touch to make the dinner table come together.

Holidays are a great time to take pictures and having a piece of the house be photo-ready is almost as essential as food nowadays. This year, I plan on getting some streamers and using double sided tape to tape them to the wall and twist them so they spiral down the wall. (Something like this https://pin.it/7sOLz05OW) Streamers can be fairly cheap depending on where you get them. Leaf garlands can also be cheap depending on the length.

Food labels are not really considered decorations but having them really enhances the look of the food table. Not only is it helpful for guests to know exactly what their options are but also adds a little extra touch when the food labels have cute little drawings on them or are fall themed.

Entertainment

Entertaining a family of various ages is a task on its own. Games at the store can cost over $30!

A deck of cards can be bought for about a dollar and there are so many games for small groups and large groups. I always ask my family to play spades with me while switching partners to let everyone get a turn.

An uno card game can have up to 10 players and costs about $10.

Pictionary can be fairly cheap only needing some writing utensils and paper or whiteboard.

Charades is probably the cheapest game because outside of having to prepare categories and phrases/words before hand, it costs nothing to play charades and can have a bunch of players and teams.

The thanksgiving football game has been marketed huge since before I was a kid. And after watching it, it can be fun to play a game of tag football with the family. A little competition is healthy. Footballs can be about $30 but resale shops might have them cheaper and some families might already have a football or frisbee.

I like to take a walk if the weather permits. It helps digestion and its always nice to get some fresh air and see how beautiful nature is. A family walk around the neighborhood or your favorite path can be a new tradition.

Name Them is another free game when you can search for different categories for the game. For this game, the players are given a category “Name pizza toppings” and they have to name as many as they can within 60 seconds without repeating. Whoever has the most names, wins the round.

Space

Space can be limited for the holidays and no one likes feeling cramped and uncomfortable. People need to have room to eat and room to sit after eating. I like pushing the couches and chairs to the outer edge of the room where I want to put tables and chairs for dining. Luckily we have room to have a room for the food to stay, a room for people to eat and a seperate room for people to sit. Long tables can be purchased for $50-$100 or rented for about $20. If renting, I would suggest renting them for a day before you host just in case there are late deliveries.

Food

Food is probably the most expensive thing to have for an event, let alone a holiday all about food. There are several options for saving money on the food part. You could shop for some items at a cheaper store like an Aldi or a farmers market. You could have people pitch in a few dollars to cover multiple servings for everyone. You can also have people bring a dish or dessert or appetizer. In my family, if we are hosting, we like to cook and have people attending bring ice, drinks, silverware, paper plates, to go plates etc. It takes a community and do not feel bad for asking.

Hopefully you can use these tips to have a smooth holiday.