Should You Incorporate Dinner into Your Thanksgiving Party?

Have you recently made the decision to host a Thanksgiving party?  If so, do you plan on incorporating a Thanksgiving dinner into that party?  While a large number of Thanksgiving party hosts do, you are not necessarily required to.  If you are unsure as to what you would like to do, it may be a good idea to examine the advantages and disadvantages of pairing a Thanksgiving dinner with a Thanksgiving party.

Perhaps, the biggest disadvantage to including a Thanksgiving dinner with your Thanksgiving party is the extra preparation.  Let’s face it; it isn’t easy to cook a Thanksgiving dinner, even a small one.  Depending on the size of your party, you may find it extremely difficult, or even impossible, to prepare dinner for each and every one of your guests. That is why a large number of party hosts only choose to serve their party guests snacks and beverages.

In addition to the extra preparation, you will also find that including a Thanksgiving dinner with your Thanksgiving party is also likely to increase your party costs.  Depending on the size of your party, you may need to purchase more than one turkey and additional side dishes.  If would be planning a Thanksgiving party on a budget, it may be wise of you to forgo the Thanksgiving dinner.  As long as your guests know that you will not be serving dinner at your party, everything should be all good.  

Speaking of your party guests, the fact that they might assume that you are serving dinner can be a disadvantage to not serving dinner at your Thanksgiving party.  As previously mentioned, it is advised that you inform your guests, either personally or on their invitations, that you will only be serving snacks.  This may make it so your guest may be able to make other dinner arrangements, either before they leave for your party or after they return home from it.  It may also be a good idea not to schedule your Thanksgiving party at a popular lunch or dinner time.  This may make it easier on your guest, especially those who expect to eat at a certain time.  

Although it may seem like there are a number of disadvantages to paring a Thanksgiving dinner with your Thanksgiving party, there are also a number of advantages to doing so. As previously mentioned, one of those advantages if your guests.  Most guests would prefer if they were served dinner at a party; it allows them to eliminate cooking themselves; however, most would likely understand if you decide not to cook a large Thanksgiving dinner.  

Despite the fact that Thanksgiving dinners can be time consuming and costly, as mentioned above, there are a number of different steps that you can take to not only save time, but also save money.  In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, you will find a number of Thanksgiving food sales and discounts.  If you shop where the sales are, you should be able to prepare a relatively affordable Thanksgiving dinner.  Also, if you will be cooking a Thanksgiving dinner for a large number of individuals, you may want to ask your other party guests for assistance.  In most cases, you will find that your close friends and family members would be more than willing to prepare a small side dish.  

It is also important to note what Thanksgiving dinners are all about.  While parties accomplish the same thing; there is just something about a Thanksgiving dinner that brings family, friends, and even neighbors together.  By incorporating a Thanksgiving dinner into your Thanksgiving party, you could easily show your guests the love, thanks, and appreciation that you feel for them.

When it comes to including a Thanksgiving dinner with your Thanksgiving party, you will need to make your own decision.  While you will want to make your own decision, it may be a good idea to keep the above mentioned advantages and disadvantages in mind.

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