Thanksgiving Hosting Guide

So you’ve offered to host Thanksgiving at your place. You’ve pored over recipes and planned a delicious meal. You’ve made oh-so-pretty place cards and centerpieces. You’ve picked a playlist and are preparing for the pre-hosting deep clean of the house. But have you considered bedding for your guests?

Whether you’re hosting out-of-towners or want to give local guests a place to crash after sipping on a festive cocktail, take a peek at our hosting guide below.

Here are our tips for creating the perfect space for your guests’ food coma slumber:

Invest in luxurious bedding

Add an extra layer of comfort to your guest room mattress with a mattress topper. Guests will feel like they’re sleeping on a cloud with the addition of a poly bed filled with fluffy microfiber down alternative. To avoid shifting, be sure to purchase a topper that fastens to the corners of the mattress with elastics.

Have plenty of comfy pillows on hand. For crowd-pleasing pillows, you’ll want to balance support and softness. Look for pillows that contain a center core of feathers for springy support and outer layers of down for a luxurious feel. We recommend a Medium support level to accommodate most types of sleepers.

Just like it’s important to consider guests’ allergies when planning Thanksgiving dinner, you may also need to consider allergies when selecting guest room bedding. It’s a good idea to have a couple synthetic down alternative pillows kicking around for guests who are allergic to down and feathers. If you need a basic set of pillows for decorative shams, traditional feather pillows will give you a plump, full look at a great price.

Top your bed with a cozy duvet. Choose a Regular or All Season weight duvet to keep visitors warm as the weather gets cooler. Machine washable gel microfiber down alternative duvets are a guest room favourite due to their easier care. If you’re looking to splurge and create a hotel feel, consider a light and lofty goose down duvet. Our Duvet Comparison Chart is a great resource to use when choosing your perfect duvet.

Create those autumnal vibes with linens

No bed is complete without crisp and cozy linens. We have cotton Duvet Covers, Flat Sheets, Fitted Sheets and Pillowcases in a wide array of colours to brighten or neutralize any room. To spice things up for Thanksgiving, you could mix and match colours to create the perfect fall vibes! Our Cardinal, Persimmon, and Amber collections are the perfect tones to add an autumn atmosphere to your guest room. There are unlimited possibilities when it comes to mixing and matching colours. Having sheets in a variety of colours makes it easy to change it up and create the perfect seasonal guest room!

To maximize the lifespan of your pillows, add Pillow Protectors. Pillow protectors are like a second skin for your pillows, adding an extra layer of protection without compromising the comfort of your pillow. Pillow protectors prevent stains and build up of body oils, dirt, and dust - saving you from washing your pillows too frequently.

Launder your linens in advance

There’s nothing more stressful than trying to get sheets washed and beds made while prepping for dinner. Do laundry a week or two in advance to save yourself a hectic holiday. Sheets, duvet covers, pillow protectors, and pillowcases should be laundered between guests. Wash, dry, and iron your linens, make the bed, and don’t forget to add a stack of clean towels and washcloths to the room.

Unless your last guests were particularly messy, you shouldn’t need to clean pillows, duvets, or mattress toppers, as they’re protected by your bed linens. If you do find they need cleaning, remember that synthetic bedding can be machine washed, but natural bedding should be taken to a professional cleaner.

Gather other guest room essentials

To ensure your guests are comfortable and cared for, you might consider stocking your guest room with the following items:

• Water
• Reading material
• Tissues
• Portable fan
• Alarm clock
• Fresh towels
• Wastebasket
• Cozy blanket

While all of these are not necessary, these items let your guests know you thought about them and will elevate their comfort during their stay.

Add special finishing touches

A luxurious experience for your guests sometimes means going the extra mile. Impress your visitors with a meaningful welcome note, a small dish of individually wrapped mints, and fresh cut flowers on the nightstand. Give guests a pair of slippers in their size, a mini succulent, or (in the spirit of the season) a personalized gratitude journal to take with them when they leave.

These small gestures make all the difference and leave your guests feeling happier than when they arrived!

Outfitting your guest room on a budget? Sign up for our newsletter for exclusive discounts on Canadian Down & Feather products.

We hope you have a very Happy Thanksgiving!