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BY JENNY SMITH MATTFELDT Published November 12, 2024
I recently watched the Martha Stewart documentary and found it so impressive. I expected to enjoy it because, after all it’s the story of a female self-made billionaire. But I didn’t fully grasp the scope of her cultural impact. For my generation, she’s known more for her humor on social media, her friendship with Snoop Dogg, and that infamous stint in prison than for her homemaking expertise. Seeing her story unfold— from her beginnings in a poor family to building a powerhouse brand and facing relentless resistance from men who didn’t want a woman at the center of a thriving business— was truthfully inspiring.
Homemaking itself has become almost looked down on in recent years. The cultural trend has been to keep things minimalist, not to “overdo” anything, and to stay practical and reasonable. But the recent rise in the “trad wife” movement shows there’s a pushback— a growing recognition that creating a home, entertaining, and hosting still hold value and importance. Now, I'm not saying we all need to be churning our own butter but if you like hosting and cooking this Thanksgiving is the perfect time to lean back in, take pride in your space, your meal, and taking care of others. Make it feel like a home, make people feel truly welcome, and don’t hold back if you want to go all-out.
Watching the Martha Stewart doc is a crystal clear example of how multi faceted women are, you can run a billion dollar business and create a beautiful home they're not mutually exclusive. Her advice can be found in thousands articles, videos, and now her 100th book, so I’m here to help simplify things. A condensed Thanksgiving guide if you will— a little wisdom from Martha, a little flair from me.
Timeline
The Week Before
Deep clean your refrigerator, freezer, and oven to make room for all the new ingredients. Pull your turkey out to thaw, you want to a lot 1 day of thawing time per 4 pounds of turkey. Make your brine for the bird & your ingredient list for the rest of your dishes.
You can make your pie crusts up to a month in advance and freeze them, according to Martha she likes to “make pastry shells for pies the week before, then cover them tightly in plastic wrap and freeze them in their plates,” this allows you to thaw them later, add the fillings, and bake.
Four & Three Days Before
Four days before is the perfect time to go shopping to ensure all of your groceries stay fresh for the big day. Three days before you can prep all of your vegetables whether it’s green beans that need to be cleaned up and blanched for casseroles, any produce that needs to be prepped for a veggies and dip tray, or potatoes that can be washed and peeled. To keep the potatoes from turning brown you can store them in a bowl of water in the refrigerator.
You can also prep dips and salad dressings at this time, they will just get better with few days of wait time it gives the flavors time to meld. Try to look ahead at the little things your recipes call for; can you prepare and chop any nuts, fresh herbs, or onions?
The Day Before
The day before your event you'll be able to get the rest of your prep done including brining the turkey, thawing your pie crusts and baking your pies, and prepping any other sides.
The Day Of
Pull your bird out an hour or two before cook time and dry it off, this ensures crispier skin. Bring together all the prepped components for sides and desserts and add all your finishing touches. Turn on some good music and have a glass of wine, you deserve it.
Elevated Fall Decor (some from Martha, some from me)
One thing that really grabbed me in the doc was her business deal with Target. At the time, she faced criticism for bringing her “luxury” brand to what many saw as a budget store. She very bluntly stated that style doesn’t depend on money. If you have taste, you can shop anywhere and create something amazing. This year to make traditional decor feel modern you can play with the textures like these ceramic, sherpa, or concrete pumpkins.
Unscented candles are an amazing way to add to the aesthetic. Stewart recommends the Pickwood taper candles with brass candlestick holders, I'm a fan of the amber vintage look votives with real or battery tea candles.
A simple but impactful option is a fresh flower arrangement. You can buy one but it's often cheaper— and surprisingly easy I promise— to make your own. Most grocery stores with a floral department offer a selection of individually cut and wrapped flowers and greenery. Look for two or three types of greenery with varied textures, one bunch of main "focal" flowers to be the stars of the show, and two types of secondary flowers. These secondary, or filler flowers don't have to be smaller but they should be more subtle to keep the spotlight on your focal blooms.
When looking for greenery just grab a couple textures that you like, something like Itallian Ruscus, Gunni, or Seeded Eucalyptus always look nice. For focal flowers I love Dahlias, Roses, and Hydrangeas. For filler flowers you can go with something simple like Baby's Breath, my personal favorite Bells of Ireland, something whimsical like Fiddlehead Fern, or a little heavier like Snapdragons.
Start by filling your vase with water and adding a small splash of bleach (1/4 teaspoon per 1/3 gallon of water), it sounds counter intuitive but it will make your arrangement last much longer. Decide where your arrangement will go: if it's on the dining room table aim for a shorter style that looks good from every angle. On the table avoid strong-smelling flowers like lilies or gardenias, so the aromas don't compete with the food. If the arrangement is going by the front door or on a side table, you can go taller and focus solely on how it looks from the front. You can keep your extra blossoms to make little, minimal arrangements.
Add your greenery to the vase first as a base layer. Don't be afraid to make it a bit asymmetrical it will make the arrangement feel more relaxed and natural. Next, add your main focal flowers, these are the stars so make sure they're completely visible. Stewart suggests using an odd number of focal blooms to give the arrangement a natural look. Finally, add your filler flowers, check the arrangement 'from all angles and find any gaps that need to be filled.'
Prepping your home
Before you hit Homegoods or TjMaxx consider what platters or serving utensils you'll need. Think about any special family pieces you want to include—like tablecloths, serving dishes, candlesticks, or photos—to give the table a warm, personal touch. Prep the guest rooms with extra toiletries, towels, blankets, pillows, bottles of water and phone chargers.
Do a deep clean the week before so you’re not scrambling the day before guests arrive. Pay extra attention to the kitchen because it will be the center of attention. Clear counters, clean out the fridge and freezer, and make sure the oven is clean and ready to go. Or hire somebody! Schedule a cleaner for just before or just after Thanksgiving to make things a little easier on yourself.
As always, I loved your article!!!! 😘