Thanksgiving has a way of arriving before we feel ready. The turkey, the guest list, the table, and everyone coming home all land in the same short stretch of days, and there is a great deal to remember. That is why I put together this free Thanksgiving planner, to gather it all in one place so the day feels calmer and you have more of it to enjoy. Inside you will find planning and organization pages, turkey tips, a Thanksgiving prayer, and more.
Because Thanksgiving comes so late in November, it helps to think ahead to Christmas at the same time. Waiting until the turkey is put away to start on Christmas leaves very little room to breathe, and the two holidays end up crowding each other. Planning them side by side keeps everything in view, and this planner is meant to carry you through that first stretch, from the guest list to the last of the leftovers.
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How to Organize Your Planner
I like to keep this planner and my Christmas planner together in one binder, so the whole holiday season lives in a single place. Rather than clearing it out each January, hold on to a few years’ worth. When you sit down to plan the next Thanksgiving, you can look back and see what you cooked, who came, and what you would do again. Over time it becomes a kind of holiday diary…and an organized one at that.
What’s Inside
Here is what you will find in the planner. Each page is meant to take one more thing off your mind, so you can enjoy the day instead of running it.
- September, October, and November calendars for 2026
- A guest list and a who’s-bringing-what page, so you always know who is coming and what is covered
- A menu planner and a recipe page to keep your dishes in one place
- A grocery list to carry with you to the store
- A table setting plan for your linens and place settings
- A countdown checklist that starts two weeks out, and a timeline for the day itself
- A page for gratitude, and a Thanksgiving prayer for the heart of the meal
- Printable hang tags and napkin rings, with simple instructions
- Turkey tips gathered from years of my own cooking
Thanksgiving Prayer & Turkey Tips
I used an excerpt from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s poem, “We Thank Thee,” and added a short little verse at the end. It’s a simple reminder to be grateful, and to wish your family and friends a happy holiday season. It can be placed at the head of the table, and recited by just one person. Or print one for each guest and everyone can recite the prayer together. Also tucked into the planner is a page of turkey tips I have gathered over the years, from thawing a frozen bird in time to the small steps that keep the meat from drying out. They are the notes I wish someone had handed me the first year I cooked Thanksgiving dinner.
How To Get This Planner
- Just fill out the short form below and the planner will be sent to your inbox.
- Please note: if you are already an OSP email subscriber, go ahead and fill out the form below. I will send the download straight to your inbox. My email company makes sure you won’t have duplicate subscriptions.
- CAN’T SEE THE FORM? Sign up here instead.
- Interested in more printables? See the entire Printables Directory.
THANKSGIVING Planner
Just fill out the form below
to get your printable
Thanksgiving Planner.
The Thanksgiving planner is what I need to keep organized because each year it seems harder and harder to keep focused on that day. Thank you for offering it to us. It’s much appreciated.
Thank you for the planners
Thank you!
Ann,
Thank you for providing what to me, feels like, traditions that are reminiscent of a childhood I
wish I had experienced. There’s grace and honor in each of your posts! I love your new format and look forward to enjoying each email you send.
Sincerely,
Nancy Land
Thank you so much for the planners. I feel so disorganized right now and these will be a big help! Happy Holidays!
This is wonderful!!! Thank you so much for putting this together.
I love all of your content. I look forward to reading all of your posts. Thank you! Your planners are perfect!
Yes! I am certainly a planner…and I am enjoying yours too. They are pretty and I keep mine from year to year to see how changes have been made from guests, family members and menus. Thank you for sharing and I especially love the prayer. Your work is wonderful. Blessings to you and yours,
Alda
Thank you for these planners. They are a delightful way to keep organized or at least try to. 😉
Thank you Ann! The planner and prayer will certainly get me in the mood for for these two busy holidays! And now I can do it with style and organization! Thank you.
Carol
Love love love all of your beautiful things. The free printables are so great.
Thanks,
Diane
Thank you so much for this beautiful Thanksgiving planner! I have a hodgepodge of recipes, etc. that I’ve always used, but your planner is so pretty that I’m going to transfer everything to it. I plan to use the napkin rings and prayers, too. Thankful!
Hi Ann,
I printed this today on beautiful cream cardstock and then bound it. A friend at work who loves lovely paper as much as I do, begged for a copy. We adore it!
She stopped in my office later in the day and said, “when do you think the Christmas one will be out!”. I’m so glad I subscribed–your blog is wonderful!!
Thank you!
LOVE the Thanksgiving prayer!
May God bless you & yours this holiday season.
Thank you once again for your beautiful printables. I’m getting quite a collection since I save them and use them again and again. I have one of your teacup printables hanging always in my kitchen.
I plan to use the Thanksgiving Prayer as our blessing (or saying grace) at our Thanksgiving Dinner.
These are so pretty & so practical! Thank you!