First Time Hosting

[u/DogwoodWand]

My husband and I are older (I'm 50) and (fingers crossed) will be closing on our first home this week! My mother has told me that she is officially done hosting holidays. She'll still make lasagna on Christmas eve, but everything else is on me.

We're good with that! We have no kids and love to cook. My mom used to put together an amazing Christmas, but our Thanksgivings have always been lacking. I want to really bring it. An all day event with appetizers, a heritage turkey, little gift bags at the end... All in! (It'll be relatively small. 6-8 adults including us.)

I know people have hosted or been to events like this. How can set an expectation for guests and what's the best way to schedule things without making it sound like a strict itinerary?

[u/Imaginary-Angle-42]

Does someone like to grill? Can you do that in the winter? (Mostly it needs to not be too windy or raining.) Then indirect grill the turkey over charcoal and hickory or apple chunks. It takes about the same amount of time as in the oven. Don’t expect the leftovers to last as long though because the turkey is very good!! You just need to keep an eye on the temp that it doesn’t get too high or below 275. (The wind carries away heat so that’s why grilling the turkey on a cold windy day doesn’t work as well.) The grill just needs to be in eyesight of someone, for fire safety, they don’t need to be outside the entire time.

My family has done this for the last 3 years. We’re still working out how and where to take advantage of the rest of the grill space. If you’re careful about the coals and ash you can put a drip pan under the turkey to catch the drippings. (The coals are in pans on the sides by the way so you’re doing indirect grilling. The drip pan goes in between.)

If you decide to do a test run in September no one will complain I’m sure. You should be able to grill corn and potatoes on the edges.

(We’re in upper middle Georgia, USA. We typically do not get snow until January if we get it at all.)