Martha Stewart May Have Cancelled Thanksgiving – But Her Secret Hosting Rules Still Show Exactly How to Pull Off the Perfect Holiday Feast

The news that first hit everyone's lips in the fall of 2023 was that Martha Stewart, practically the queen of Thanksgiving, had decided to cancel the festivities that year. In a previous appearance onThe Kelly Clarkson Show, she told the singer that she 'gave up on Thanksgiving.' Now, as the seasons turn, we are eagerly waiting to see if she will embrace the holiday again in 2025.

Luckily, Homes & Gardens spoke with Martha before she made the decision not to celebrate and captured all of Martha Stewart's Thanksgiving prep tips just in time. That way, those of us who are going ahead with the holiday have her expert advice on getting the dining room ready for the feast and avoiding the holiday hustle.

According to Martha, the number one way to pull off a seamless Thanksgiving dinner party is to plan and prepare far ahead of time. Everything from the food being served to the setting of the table to the dinner party cleanup is premeditated – a core philosophy she calls 'Martha’s Rule' for a seamless feast.

Shop Martha Stewart's Thanksgiving essentials

Martha starts to plan her feast a month ahead of time. 'I'm a very organized person, as you can imagine. I have a lot of stuff figured out already' she told Homes & Gardens when we interviewed her in 2023.

Martha further asserted that the success of Thanksgiving dining table decor also comes down to planning.

She told us: 'I make sure that the silverware is polished ahead of time. I make sure that the turkey dishes are up from the pantry in the basement, where I keep all my beautiful china.'

She continued, 'We don't use turkey plates and turkey platters [such as this one from Amazon] other than on Thanksgiving. So I make sure that everything is clean and stacked in the dining room.'

Interestingly, Martha said that her Thanksgiving table settings are out extra early. She told us: 'The table is set probably the day before Thanksgiving, and centerpieces are thought out ahead of time so that I don't have to run around looking for stuff when I'm busy cooking.'

Her attitude seems to be that preparing minimizes stress on the big day, leaving more time to enjoy the fall bounty.

Although Thanksgiving was cancelled at Martha Stewart's house in 2023, it doesn't mean the rest of us can't benefit from her clever planning techniques. For more of Martha's advice, check out the kitchen cabinet color that she swears by.