Hosting a huge gathering for family and friends is hard work! I host Thanksgiving every few years, and it’s a lot to take on. Luckily my mom, sister, and other family members come together to help out and make sure everything gets done. Last year, we hosted a Friendsgiving where we deep fried a turkey, had some festive drinks and showed our closest friends just how thankful we were to have them in our lives. It was a lot of fun and we will probably be doing it again this year. I love hosting get-togethers, but I have to say, it wouldn’t be as much fun if I weren’t together myself! Enter: Thanksgiving planner.  (Scroll to the end of the post to download it!)

If you’re hosting any Thanksgiving gathering this year, I have a functional (and fun!) printable that will help you stay organized, keep yourself on track and guarantee you won’t overcook the turkey or burn and pies. Nobody wants a burnt pumpkin pie, do they?

Free Thanksgiving Planner Printable

When planning a big meal, it’s always smart to have a schedule to follow. My Thanksgiving Planner Printable includes:

Thanksgiving Meal Planner
Preparing the actual dinner is my favorite part! Of course, there are the traditional dishes that are a staple every year, but I also like to come up with fun new appetizers to try, a fancy drink to concoct and sweet treats for everyone to enjoy. Use this printable to brainstorm and plan what you’ll be serving your guests. Jot down any ingredients you know you don’t have on hand to add to your main shopping list later.

Guest List and Contributions
Another important factor of planning your Thanksgiving gathering is who will be invited and who will be joining. I already mentioned that my family comes together to help with side dishes, appetizers and desserts so I keep track of that on this handy guest list printable.

Thanksgiving Meal Schedule
When you’re preparing a massive bird (or maybe even two!), a handful of side dishes, appetizers, desserts and beverages, a meal schedule is an absolute must! It’s hard enough timing everything right when preparing dinner for a family of four, let alone a group of 20+ people! It’s a great idea to pre-make any dishes that can be frozen or will keep well ahead of time. The last thing you want to be doing is slaving away in the kitchen, not being able to enjoy your company. Lucky for me, my hubby saves me lots of time in the kitchen on Thanksgiving day, find out exactly what he does in this post!

Thanksgiving Shopping List
You will most likely have to make a special trip to the store just for everything you need for Thanksgiving Dinner. This printable shopping list makes it easy to make sure you get everything you need and don’t miss any essential ingredients. (I always forget something! Luckily, my husband plans a last minute trip to the store each time we are having guests over.)

Thanksgiving Place Cards
These are a cute extra that will make your guests feel welcomed. Just print them off, cut around the dotted lines and write each of your guest’s names on the cards. I prefer to use cardstock, but plain ol’ paper will work as well. If these don’t make you look like you’ve got it all together, I don’t know what will!

Thanksgiving Printable Art
Set the feeling with this cute Thanksgiving print. Just print out on your home printer or send the file to your favorite photo processing center. It’s an 8″ x 10″ so just upload it as you would a traditional portrait. Buy a cute frame, and there you have it,  festive Thanksgiving art to make your guest’s feel welcomed!

Once you receive your Thanksgiving planner, be sure to check out Tips for Printing Printables Perfect Every Time!

Are you feeling more ready for the big day? I hope this free printable helps you get organized and dominate Thanksgiving!