Happy Thanksgiving! The colder weather is finally settling in, shorter days are among us, football season is heating up, and turkeys are ready to be served. The holiday season is in full swing, so we have prepared our list of tips and tricks to navigate the craziness of hosting all of the festivities! 

How to Host The Best turkey day

1. Find the Ideal Location

Fischer Homes designs each floorplan with you and your needs in mind. Flexible living space through open-concept kitchens, dining areas, basements, recreation, and study rooms can all be converted into the perfect area to accommodate your guests. If you like to have a casual celebration, our open-concept floorplans make the transition from the kitchen island to the couch in the living room an easy one! The personalization options are endless through our one-of-a-kind experience provided by the Lifestyle Design Center. For those homeowners that like to sit down for a more formal meal, our dining rooms provide the perfect space. If needed, additional seating can be available in a recreation room, study, and or loft space. This is the perfect way to ensure everyone you want to have at the Thanksgiving festivities has a seat at your table. 

2. Create Your Ambiance 

Everyone loves a fabulous fall table arrangement, with the classic festive plates, glasses, silverware, and table runner. No matter where you decide to set up your holiday in your Fischer Homes dream home, here are some decoration tips that will make your home festive and encourage guests to settle in. 

• Utilize plaid, a chic and warm pattern that can be utilized for both Thanksgiving and other holidays. 
• Always include a centerpiece; this can feature flowers, food, or fruit, pick whatever option you think fits the overall ambiance in your home & your personal sense of style. 
• Copper, copper, copper! Copper is trending right now as a perfect way to warm up one's home. Not to mention it looks luxurious and can elevate any table setting. 

3. Pick the Perfect Warm Scent  

We all know that scent that makes you want to settle in and cozy up after being in the brisk cold in late November. It is warm with hints of vanilla and cinnamon. It sets the mood for the festivities and makes everyone feel as if they've received a warm hug when they walk into your home. Here are our top picks for a signature scent for the holidays! 

• Boy Smells, Copal Fantome: Notes of nutmeg, clove, leather, vanilla, copal 
• Anthropologie, Harvest Hot Toddy: Notes of honeycrisp apple and cinnamon 
• Glasshouse, Pumpkin Spiced Cake: Notes of firewood, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie 

Activities for Loved ones
 

1. Find a Local Cause to Help Build a Better Community 

Fischer Homes prides itself on Building a Better Community through our involvement in various philanthropic causes throughout the year. There is no shortage of opportunities to give back during the holiday season! Find a shelter, soup kitchen, canned food drive, or local cause to give back to this holiday season. Together we can make a difference in the communities we are actively a part of. 

2. The Gratitude Game

Thanksgiving is about reflecting on the opportunities from the last year, the loved ones in your life, and the things you are overall thankful for. This 'game' is a great way to guide everyone through this reflection process, plus it is a super easy setup. While waiting for dessert after dinner, have everyone grab a piece of a variety of colored construction paper from a hat or a bowl. You can choose what each color means to you. For example, a red piece of paper means to name a person you are thankful for. Go around the table, taking turns in sharing gratitude. 

3. Thanksgiving Olympics 

It doesn't matter if you are spending time with family or friends; a fun activity is a great way to make a lasting memory with your loved ones and maybe introduce a new annual tradition. Come up with silly games to get everyone involved and keep a point system. It's a great way to keep kids and others you don't want in the kitchen occupied while you can finalize your table and dinner for the guests. Some of these games can include a scavenger hunt, memory games, pin the fruit on the cornucopia & many more! 

Make sure everyone 'gobbles' down your cooking this holiday

We all know everyone's favorites for Thanksgiving, but here are some nontraditional side dishes and cocktails (or mocktails!) to try on your table this year that will be a huge hit! 

• Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Cranberries & Bacon - This recipe is delicious, crispy, and perfect for adding another vegetable to your table setting!
• Instant Pot Pumpkin Risotto - A new fall favorite that is super easy, savory, and like receiving a warm hug!
• Hot Apple Pie Cider - A delicious cool weather drink lightly spiced and sweetened, served with a shot of Calvados and whipped cream! Yum! 
• Cranberry and Orange Sangria - A refreshing and gorgeous fall drink with ingredients like apples, cranberries, and oranges! If you want a little bit of a warm kick, add in brandy. 

If you have leftovers, be encouraged to donate those extra supplies and food so they don't go to waste! It is the perfect way to give back to those in need this Thanksgiving!

Finally, have a wonderful start to your holiday season, know that your friends from Fischer Homes are thinking of you and we hope these tips and tricks helped you navigate the beginning of many fun memories to come for the remainder of 2022!

Stay tuned for more lifestyle content from Fischer Homes. Remember that throughout our journey as your builder, we want to ensure that your experience doesn't end when you move into your new home. Fischer Homes is forever focused on continuing to go Beyond The Build, by continuing to build the best customer experience possible.