What to Bring to Thanksgiving that Doesn't Involve Cooking

Happy Thanksgiving Week! I can't believe it's already here but also am so excited for it all! This is the beginning of the most magical time of every year for so many reasons - but anyway! Let's talk Thanksgiving and entertaining. If you aren't hosting, you're probably trying to figure out what you can bring on Thursday. We can't all be the best chefs in the world, so if you aren't looking to cook, or you like to but don't want to/have the time to cook or bake something elaborate to bring, there's a ton of options to choose from! Here's a complete guide of what to bring to the Thanksgiving host's house this holiday!

Wine

Probably the easiest thing to bring to Thanksgiving - find out what kind of wine the host/hostess likes and bring a bottle for them and/or a bottle for everyone else to enjoy.

Magic Cookie Bars

I know these involve cooking, but they're incredibly easy to make and my favorite sign that the holidays are really here! Here's the recipe for them - you can add any toppings you want (there's a list of some fun ones in that recipe!) and everyone will love them. Best part is they take all of 5 minutes to prep - just pop them in the oven while you're doing 9049 other things! ;)

Candles

Whether they're just a thoughtful hostess gift or meant to light during Thanksgiving Day, candles are never a bad choice! This Capri Blue Volcano candle is one of those scents that everyone (or mostly) loves. Another fan favorite of the holidays is this Frasier Fir candle, which is packaged just as beautifully as it smells! And you can never go wrong with a set of Diptyque Candles.

Dinner Rolls/Crescent Rolls

Again, using the oven - but couldn't be simpler! Everyone loves dinner rolls and everyone loves crescent rolls even more, so offer to bring them to Thanksgiving if you're on the hunt for something everyone can enjoy.

Fruit Tray

You can buy the fruits, cut them up and put them on a platter, but if you don't have enough time for that, buy a pre-made tray and dress it up yourself by switching to a nicer plate or put the fruit on skewers for an easy dessert!

Serving Utensils

One of my favorite hostess gifts to give, but also a practical one for Thanksgiving Day! There's a dozen different dishes and your host can use their new spoons to entertain the same day. Here's a few fun options (either that you can get shipped in the next two days or are easily available to ship/pick-up, phew!):

Apple Sangria

This is a broad one, but my absolute FAVORITE sangria recipe is so simple that it doesn't really even involve a recipe... Get your favorite bottle of wine (I always go with Pinot Grigio), pour it into a pitcher and add in a cup of apple cider, 1 Honey Crisp Apple, 1 Granny Smith Apple, cranberries and 1/2 bottle of seltzer. So simple, so quick to make (think morning of or night before!) and everyone will love it!

Flowers

Just a little way to say "thank you" to the host, but also a beautiful way to add some color to their home!

Charcuterie board

These have become all the rage lately, huh? For good reason too, who doesn't love a perfectly put together charcuterie board?! While it doesn't involve cooking, it'll take a little bit to put together but it's well worth it. Check your local delis/specialty stores though, because they may have pre-made ones!

Cards or a Game

Bringing the entertainment (other than yourself ;) is always a simple and good idea! Mad Libs (holiday themed!) are always fun, and Cards Against Humanity are two options that will have everyone laughing!

Hors d'oeuvre Skewers

While it doesn't scream "Thanksgiving", one of my favorite things to bring to any party or get-together - including Thanksgiving - is a caprese salad. It's light and delicious and you can even do caprese skewers to make it easy to eat! You can put basically anything on a skewer - get creative!

Oil & Vinegar Set

A great alternative to wine that you know will get used!

Bottle Opener

This is another great hostess gift idea, but can come in handy just when you need it! ;)

Serving Platter

Similar to gifting the host a set of serving spoons, gifting a serving platter is always a great idea. You can even get fancy and add a dessert to the platter and bring it as one! I love doing this because you're contributing to the menu and leaving the host with a beautiful dish afterwards.

Breakfast for Black Friday

Whether your host shops or not on Black Friday, the day after hosting something as big as Thanksgiving is most definitely tiring. Bring a fruit platter and some bagels, cinnamon rolls or something similar as a "ready to go" breakfast for them to enjoy the following morning so that they don't have to think about cooking!

XOXO -A