Shabbat Planning
Timeline
3 weeks Determine what kind of dinner you'll host: Traditional, mindful, outdoorsy? Friends, strangers-welcome, solo? Think about what kind of food you are going to serve: Who's cooking? Are you ordering takeout? Post your dinner on OneTable Invite your guests!
2 weeks Plan your dinner/drink menu: Is your dinner BYOB? Potluck? Do your guests have dietary restrictions? What intention do you want to set? Check out our amazing resources! Determine what rituals you want to implement Choose the music you want to play
1 week Send a reminder to all guests Put together your grocery list Plan your tablescape: Are you going to handwrite menus? Have a wine and a water glass or fold your napkins a certain way? Keeping things casual? How will you make the evening feel special in some way?
4 days Make sure your Nourishment is selected correctly and that all (or most) of your guests have RSVP'd In order to receive the correct amount of Nourishment, your guests need to RSVP Stock the bathroom!
3 days Go grocery shopping! Going a few days before your dinner allows you time to get additional items if you forgot something Double check you have enough chairs and space at the table: Tip: if you need more chairs, you can buy some with your Nourishment money!
2 days Clean the house Vacuum, wipe down the tables, and clean the bathroom. Having a clean environment will make your guests feel more at home, and make you feel more at ease Make name tags! This is totally optional, but can make your guests feel a bit more comfortable when getting to know new faces Even better if you include pronouns!
1 day
1 hour
Send our a reminder to your guests "Can't wait to see you all tomorrow!" Include any arrival details, attire suggestions If you are ordering delivery, schedule it ahead of time if possible so you don't have to worry about it day of Cook things ahead of time Prepare things ahead of time, whether that is actually preparing the Shabbat dinner, or just chopping the vegetables Buy flowers Who doesn't love flowers! See decor as a way of signaling to your guests that it's a special evening
Just before Turn on your selected playlist, get the tunes going Set your ambient lighting: Candles, lights dimmed? Set the mood for your dinner! Leave something for your guests to do when they arrive: This helps with the awkward tension of watching the host run around and finalize things. Leave the water glasses empty, the wine unpoured, and let your guests help you!
The next day
Set the table Put the food in the oven or make sure it is on the way if ordering from a restaurant Set out appetizers and drinks Put a welcome sign on the door so guests know they've arrived at the right place Get dressed To be a good host means feeling your best. Put on your favorite outfit and get ready for the night
During dinner Facilitate any rituals that you're incorporating Introduce people to one another who may not have met before Let guests know that they can also become OneTable hosts Relax and enjoy your dinner – you did a great job!
Send a note to all of your guests Preferably with a link to host the next Shabbat dinner! Clean up from the night before Plan your next Shabbat!
TIP: Download + save this image to use every time you host!
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