Daily Recipes: It’s Time to Talk About Thanksgiving—12 of My Must-Haves for the Holiday

In order to have a comfortable and stress-free holiday, I like to come prepared.

Senior Shopping Writer

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love whipping up treasured recipes, creating a beautiful table, and enjoying an entire day of laughing and eating with my parents and our best friends. Because I'm nothing if not prepared, I've developed a list of must-haves from my years of hosting, including a go-to holiday outfit: This Madewell T-shirt underneath a Quince cotton sweater and paired with my favorite J.Crew Factory Slim Boyfriend Jeans is perfect for a more laid-back day of feasting and chatting.

I'm a big believer in setting the table early, and Amazon and Target have a fantastic assortment of dishes, glassware, and decorations to elevate your display. This beaded 16–piece dinnerware set, along with these timeless ribbed wine glasses, this fall-ready tablecloth, and these cotton napkins are all from Target. Round out your place settings with this gold stainless steel silverware set from Amazon, and add to the ambience with a delightfully scented Yankee Candle—pro tip: Bring this as a gift if you're not the one hosting.

You can't have Thanksgiving without the sides, and this $35 manual Crock-Pot keeps favorites like mashed potatoes warm once they come off the stove. I also rely heavily on glass baking dishes when preparing the meal, and I love that this eight-piece set comes with a variety of sizes and lids to make storing leftovers super easy. Speaking of leftovers, there's always plenty for guests to take home, and this 16-piece Rubbermaid set makes divvying up dishes quicker than ever. Happy holidays!