Dinner Guest Etiquette: 7 Tips to Follow This Thanksgiving

Being a gracious, well-mannered guest at Thanksgiving dinner is often overlooked, but it’s just as important (if not more) as being a great host. Wherever you’re headed for Thanksgiving, heed these seven tips for dinner etiquette to make sure you’ll be welcomed back next year.

Communication Is Everything

Clear communication is essential to help the host properly prepare for the big feast. Start by promptly replying to the invitation (send a formal RSVP if requested). Upon accepting an invitation, let the host know if you have any dietary restrictions so he or she can keep them in mind when planning the menu. While cooking for a gluten-free vegan with a nut allergy can certainly be a challenge, any host would rather plan the meal accordingly than realize there is a guest who can’t eat anything.

Unsure if your invitation includes a significant other? Be sure to ask before showing up with a plus one. While most hosts will likely have a “the more, the merrier” attitude, he or she will greatly appreciate a heads-up, especially when planning a formal dinner. Advance notice should also be provided if you have other plans and need to leave the festivities early or can’t make it on time.

Offer to Bring a Dish

Hosting Thanksgiving is a big undertaking, even for those overachieving Martha Stewart-types who make it look effortless. But the truth is it’s a lot of work and your offer to contribute a dish will likely be welcomed with open arms. Ask the host for suggestions so as not to show up with a duplicate side dish. If the host says she has it all covered, insist on at least bringing a bottle of wine or something like the Gourmet Wine and Cheese Board.

Bring a Host Gift

It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant, just a token of your gratitude for his or her hospitality. A fall-themed floral arrangement sent a day in advance is a thoughtful way to show your appreciation. Wine-loving hosts always appreciate a bottle of their favorite varietal, while the chocoholics will lose it over a Godiva Truffle Flight. Relaxation-oriented gifts like candles or spa baskets (I like the Sweet Pea Natural Serenity Spa basket) are also good for helping the host unwind after the dishes are done and the guests have left.

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Arrive On Time

When it comes to hosting a big meal like Thanksgiving dinner, timing is crucial and your host likely has a detailed itinerary for the day. For this reason, you should do your best to arrive on time or no more than 30 minutes late. Whatever you do, don’t arrive early. Showing up 30 minutes early is just a rude as arriving an hour late, as it interferes with the host’s jam-packed to-do list.

Put Away That Phone

Sure, you may think it’s flattering to the host that you want to brag about her Thanksgiving spread by photographing your plate and Instagramming it, but in doing so, you’re being a less-than-great guest. Silence your phone and keep it in the other room or in your pocket, as phones have no place at the Thanksgiving dinner table.

Help Clean Up

Instead of simply offering, jump right in and start helping the host clear the table, put away leftovers, do the dishes and prep for dessert. Follow the host’s lead and don’t begin cleaning up until he or she gets up from the table.

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Send a Handwritten Thank You Note

Show your gratitude for a lovely celebration by sending a handwritten thank you note. Be prompt and send it within a week. A quick note goes a long way in letting the host know how much you appreciated their planning, generosity and hard work.

If You Didn’t Have Time to Get a Gift…

Whether it was a last minute invite or you simply forgot about the host gift, there’s nothing wrong with sending a token of appreciation after the fact. FTD has a wide variety of thoughtful thank-you gifts from flowers to Starbucks Coffee samplers to fresh fruit and cheese baskets; however, this doesn’t mean that you’re off the hook for everything else—a great guest would never forget to offer his or her help with preparing or cleaning up after the meal.

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Thanksgiving Centerpiece Inspiration Series: Heart of the Harvest P2

We gave four bloggers an FTD  Thanksgiving centerpiece and $50 to create the perfect Thanksgiving table.  See what they created.  Here’s part 2 of 4. See part one here

Tartan plaid is the aesthetic inspiration behind creative lifestyle blogger, Eileen Chow’s, harvest-themed Thanksgiving palette. Eileen tied the tartan look together with matching plaid table runner and napkins. Then our beautiful Heart of the Harvest Centerpiece completes the classic tablescape with warm fall hues and florals. See how birchwood candles with alfresco accents enhance the arrangement and tartan theme.

Tartan plaid, while rustic, is still modern and classy. Including tartan designs in a harvest-themed Thanksgiving palette is not only a great way to incorporate pops of color, but it’s also a way to add a festive touch to your table.

  The first step to dressing up our regular white tablecloth and white woven placemats was to add a tartan plaid table runner. Then we added matching tartan napkins as accent pieces to pull the tartan theme together. If you’re using tartan, make sure your tablecloth and placemats are a neutral color; tartan is a busy pattern, so a table runner and napkins are just enough to maintain simplicity and enhance the tablescape without overwhelming the scene.

  The beautiful fall tones in the floral Heart of the Harvest Centerpiece create a warm and cozy Thanksgiving feeling that I love. The reds tie perfectly with the tartan theme, while the oranges, yellows and greens lighten the mood by adding texture and a fresh fall harvest look.

  To complement the florals, I set two candles wrapped in birchwood tree bark and surrounded them with some bits of festive potpourri made from pine clippings, pine cones, dried orange slices and red berries.

  If you’re looking for an easy, fuss-free tablescape, build the scene around your centerpiece. Feel free to recreate my ideas with your own flair; maybe you prefer solid colors or you’d prefer the potpourri The tablescape is fuss free and easy to recreate, but although it’s simple, the tartan paired with the centerpiece on a white background is a clean look really creates that beautiful, warm Thanksgiving feeling we all love and will bring an extra level of festivity to this season of giving thanks.

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Thanksgiving Centerpiece Inspiration Series: The Giving Thanks Bouquet by Better Homes and Gardens P1

We gave four bloggers an FTD Thanksgiving centerpiece and $50 to create the perfect table.  See what they created.  Here’s part 1 of 4.

Laura Putnam, the creative inspiration behind DIY decorating blog and online shop Finding Home, reflects on the special memories of setting up the dining room table with her mom for the holidays. Her grandmother always brought over a beautiful centerpiece to dress the table for the spirit of the season. Take a glimpse into Laura’s home to find decorative inspiration and subtle personal touches for a memorable Thanksgiving display. 

I still remember helping my mom set our dining room table for the holidays; all of her china was stored in special bags and, as she pulled the pieces out, it was always like reuniting with old friends that you only see on special occasions.

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My mother and I set the table, leaving the center open, as we both knew the doorbell would soon ring and it would be my grandmother with a beautiful centerpiece in hand.

Holidays are typically hosted in our home now. My daughters and I start preparing a few days before Thanksgiving; we gather all of the table supplies, lay the tablecloth or runner and get everything set up, but we leave the center of the table empty.

I love that flowers and the centerpiece are one less thing for me to worry about. Sometimes, I like to personalize just a bit. With FTD’s Giving Thanks Bouquet by Better Homes and Gardens, I simply tucked in some feathers I found at a craft store. And soon enough, I’ll be Grandma and it will be my turn to reach out to FTD for a beautiful centerpiece that I can order and hand-deliver to my daughters’ homes.

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Thanksgiving Flowers, Plants and Gifts at Ftd.com

Enjoy the warmth of the season with gorgeous Thanksgiving flowers. Decorate your hall table or dining table with our beautiful arrangements. If you can't attend a holiday gathering, show your love with delightful flowers, gifts, or Thanksgiving gift baskets.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it's a good time to FTD's new floral arrangments. To celebrate one of the most suprisingly palettes of the year, FTD's fall flowers highlight the rich reds, bold oranges and bright yellows. If you are looking to dress up your holiday, look to our Thanksgiving Centerpieces for either your home, or that of a loved one's.

A centerpiece is a wonderful way to enhance your dining room for Thanksgiving, especially if you're hosting dinner at your house. Flower arrangements from FTD include roses, orchids and daisies, to name a few. Create warmth around the table with fall flowers, and share the spirit of gratitude with family and friends.

Looking for gift-giving ideas? A flower bouquet helps convey your love this time of year. Take his or her breath away with a gift from the Vera Wang signature collection, sold exclusively at FTD. Not only does Vera Wang create fashion masterpieces, but she designs stunning flower bouquets as well. Flowers make great gifts because they invoke feelings of happiness and warmth.

For those loved ones who prefer plants over flowers, FTD has a wide selection of blooming plants, green plants, and rose plants to choose from. Easy to maintain and longer lasting than their flowery counterparts, plants remind the recipient of your thoughtfulness for months to come.

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If Thanksgiving is right around the corner, FTD's same-day delivery service ensures your flowers and gifts will arrive on time. And, our flowers are guaranteed to remain fresh for at least seven days post delivery. Open 365 days a year, FTD commemorates other special occasions like birthdays, weddings and anniversaries . Your loved ones will appreciate your thoughtfulness, and FTD appreciates your business. From our family to yours, have a happy holiday season!

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Thanksgiving Flowers

Thanksgiving flower arrangements capture the true spirit of the holiday.

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Art, music, flowers, food and feet: Great holiday gifts for around $25

An afternoon of rare art

The “Plains Indians Artists of Earth and Sky” exhibit is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see more than 135 rare masterworks of Plains Indian art in one place.

That would be at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak St., where the exhibit continues through Jan. 11 before moving to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. This show has everything: gorgeous beadwork, painted buffalo robes, feathered headdresses and amazing contemporary art.

Two adult tickets cost $24 (the cost is $10 apiece for seniors and $6 for students). Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday. For tickets and more information, call 816-751-1278 or go to nelson-atkins.org.

Symphony concert

The Kansas City Symphony’s “Classics Uncorked” series is one of the best live performance deals around — $25 (plus a $6 ticket fee) buys an hour and a half of musical bliss in the Kauffman Center’s Helzberg Hall and a glass of wine or champagne afterward in the lobby.

If you’re giving a few gifts early, the series features a 7 p.m. Dec. 10 program, “Waltzing in a Winter Wonderland,” including holiday favorites like Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Waltz of the Flowers” and Giuseppe Torelli’s “Christmas Concerto.”

For a post-holiday treat, give a ticket to “Bach to the Future,” a program of Johann Sebastian Bach and music he inspired on Feb. 26. Call 816-471-0400 or visit www.kcsymphony.org for tickets and more concert choices.

Bouquet in the making

What could be more cheerful than flowers in January? Kansas City’s Soil Service Garden Center, 7130 Troost Ave., has barrels of paperwhite narcissus bulbs — both the heavily scented “Ziva” variety and the less fragrant “Inball” type — ready for forcing.

There are always paperwhite kits around, but why not personalize your gift with a beautiful German-made Scheurich pot? An 8-inch pot costs $15 and will hold five bulbs at $1.50 apiece. Soil Service has little packets of activated charcoal for $1.50, and bags of small stones for $1.99, bringing your total expenditure to about $26 before tax.

Prepare the pot by putting a thin layer of charcoal in the bottom and adding 2 inches of stones on top of that; then nestle the bulbs into the stones. Tell the recipient to add water up to the bottom of the bulb, and when the green tips start to grow, to add a thimbleful of vodka or gin to keep the stalks from getting floppy and leggy. About three weeks later, the flowers will be in full bloom.

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Foot massage

The back and shoulders are the common targets of massage treatments, but at Imperial Foot Care, 4120 Pennsylvania, the focus is your feet. The Chinese-run spa practices reflexology, a method of applying gentle pressure to the feet and other parts of the body.

There’s no need to undress — clients get comfortable on roomy recliners installed side-by-side in a darkened room, where the first order of business is removing your socks and immersing your feet in a bucket of warm water. A one-hour foot and body acupressure session costs $28 cash ($30 for credit); a 30-minute foot session runs $15 cash ($18 credit). Walk in or call ahead, 816-216-1702. To learn more or make an appointment online, go to www.imperialfootcare.com/.

Ikea food basket

Move over, Smucker’s! Ikea’s Sylt Jordgubb (strawberry jam) is the new favorite at our house, where it shares the pantry shelf with Sylt Lingon (lingonberry) and Sylt Krusbar (gooseberry). That’s $12 for 43 ounces of preserves.

For gift-giving, continue the berry theme with a bag of Choklad Lingon and Blabar (individually wrapped squares of chocolate flavored with lingonberries and blueberries) for $4.99. Throw in a packet of Pepparkaka (ginger thins) for $2.49 and a package of Knackebrod (crispbread) — $2.99 — and you’ve got quite a nice basket of treats for under $25.

For your adventurous — or Swedish — friends, trade out one of the preserves for some $3.99 Sill Sommar (marinated herring with rhubarb and lemon flavor) to enjoy with the crispbread. 6000 Ikea Way, Merriam (Interstate 35 at Johnson Drive)

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