Hosting a Thanksgiving Feast for All 5 Senses
Last updated on September 29th, 2025
Warm conversations with family, exciting reunions with friends, and delicious cuisine that tastes like home are the experiences that make Thanksgiving such a special time of year.
When you invite guests to your home, you can have some fun creating a superb backdrop for perfect moments. Here are some tips to make your get-together full of lasting memories.
1. Sight
From the changing of leaves to transitioning fashion trends, autumn invites a fresh, rich color palette. Incorporating seasonal tones into your home décor can change the entire feel of your space. Textured throw pillows, brightly colored floral arrangements, and new curtains are great accessorizing ideas to exude an elegantly composed setting for your soiree.
TIP: Give your home’s holiday look a classy, terrific lift with personalized party favors. Novelty napkins, monogrammed menus, and crafty coasters can elevate your style.
2. Taste
When we think of Thanksgiving, our first thought is the cuisine. However, there is more to taste than the dinner plate. Tempt your guests’ palates by setting up a self-serve drink station with a seasonal flair. Print easy-to-make recipes for multiple cocktail options and put them in colorful picture frames at the station. Stock your drink station with all the fixings (and a couple of bar towels just in case) and let your guests enjoy. Visit our Pinterest board for a few of our favorites.
TIP: There’s no reason to exclude the kids from the fun. Fill a pitcher with an alcohol-free pear punch or mulled cider and serve in festive cups.
3. Sound
The right music can set the mood of any room, and it’s a must when you have guests over for the holiday. A multi-room Wi-Fi-enabled sound system can deliver optimal acoustics throughout the house. You can tap into your personal playlists or link into your Pandora, Spotify, or Apple Music accounts and customize the volume for each room so every guest can enjoy it.
TIP: Take the sonic ambience beyond your stereo. The tones of a crackling fire can add charm to the occasion.
4. Touch
A thick cable-knit throw blanket, a velvet pillow, a smooth linen napkin—the season’s textures can invigorate your spirit. Take advantage of on-trend natural wood embellishments, like birch tree bark napkin rings, long sticks incorporated into the centerpiece, and pinecone place card holders, to bring a fresh look and new life to the dining table.
5. Smell
They say smell is the sense most closely linked to memory. At Thanksgiving, the aromas of a traditional meal are doing plenty to leave a lasting impression. Still, you can treat your guests to aromatherapy by diffusing essential oils and extending aromatic bliss beyond the kitchen.
TIP: To boost the holiday spirit, throw a cinnamon or pinecone-scented log on the fire.
There’s no question Thanksgiving is all about family, friends, and food, and if you can share the day on the backdrop of a beautiful home, you have that much more to be thankful for. Explore our Holiday Home Guide, or follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
