What Only Bad Guests Do on Thanksgiving (and What to Do Instead)
You’ve been invited to a Thanksgiving meeting. Hooray! You don’t have to plan, cook, shop, grind and cook all day long. While the host will do the lion’s share of the work to make the day delicious and festive, each guest also has a certain amount of responsibility for unfolding it. You don’t need to beat the bird every 30 minutes, but you need to be careful.
It goes without saying that you should avoid talking about politics, religion, or your thoughts on the COVID vaccine. In the spirit of utility and harmonious interaction, here are some less obvious things that you can not do when you are invited to someone’s house for Thanksgiving Day (and what you can do instead).
Don’t: Surprise your host with last-minute dietary requests.
When you’re invited, it’s time to inform the host that you are a low-carb, lactose-intolerant minnow who only eats non-GMO grains every other Tuesday. Do not expose your host to any allergies, special requests, or dietary restrictions on the days leading up to the main event (or worse, after your arrival). Unless they are your friend or best friend, also don’t assume that they remember the allergy you told them about earlier.
Required: Inform the host of any dietary restrictions when accepting the invitation and offer to bring your replacement.
Forbidden: come empty-handed (or with a surprise dish)
There are some things that hosts usually like to receive (flowers, wine, candles, and high-quality chocolate that they can enjoy after everyone is gone, to name a few), and there are things that they don’t (unplanned pyrex from Your mum’s “famous” breaded potatoes, without which you “couldn’t imagine Thanksgiving”). While guests should always bring something to the host – the more personalized or tailored to their individual interests, the better – they shouldn’t get bored with unauthorized food and expect them to decorate the meal the host has been planning for weeks.
Necessary: Ask in advance if you can bring anything. If not, bring either a thoughtful, personalized gift or a safe classic standby.
Don’t: Count on a place on the counter (or in the oven).
If presenting a side dish, make sure it is completely cooked and self-sufficient. Avoid bringing potatoes that still need to be mashed or rolls that need to be kept warm at a low oven temperature. Chances are, your host doesn’t have a free counter or oven space for you to complete this final step of your culinary project. Go through the finish line before you arrive, and figure out how to warm your item using the stand-alone package or refrigerators, portable food warmers or other great ideas . If you must have an oven, make sure your host knows ahead of time.
What it takes : If your side absolutely needs to be warmed up, bring it back into your heat-resistant mold. Also bring your own serving utensils. They may not have superfluous ones.
Don’t come early (or don’t come hungry)
If you’ve ever taken anything, you know that oftentimes even the most well-planned timing deviates from plan and you end up running to finish before your guests arrive. If a stressed host likes anything less than feeling unprepared for hungry people about to walk in their door, it’s when they get in early. Do your landlord a favor and come no earlier than the appointed time, but preferably no less than 15 minutes late. Also, grab a snack on the way so you don’t go hungry, drink on an empty stomach, or hear people say, “When are we going to eat? I’m hungry ”from another room.
Forbidden: Offer advice or criticism.
Imagine: you stick potatoes into boiling water in a way that has been used successfully for many years, and someone says, “Oh, don’t get burned! You make me nervous. Do you want me to do this? “ No, Briana, I don’t want you to do this, because my technique leaves a lot to be desired . Remember that any advice, trick, or advice offered could be construed as criticizing the chef. You may know the best way to make a lump-free sauce, but don’t utter it unless asked to.
Do : ask if you can help. If not, don’t chat by the refrigerator. Escort yourself to another room so as not to be distracted from the owner.
Don’t: overdo it with yourself
Please, dear guest, don’t get drunk. This is not a fraternal party. This is someone’s house or apartment where children can walk. No one should see an adult get noisy, sloppy, sloppy, or out of place. If you find it difficult to stay within polite drunkenness, seek help from a friend or family member to help you keep up with the times, or shut you off before things get weird.
Should: drink in moderation; eat regularly and frequently to absorb Cabernet.
Do not: delay reception
It has been a long day for your host, who has probably been getting up for hours on end to make the holiday possible. Be aware of any subtle hints they may give to indicate that they want to climb into their mazes and disconnect from Netflix – and leave quickly and appropriately. But no, dear wonderful guest, no offer to help with the cleaning first.