As the Thanksgiving holiday nears, it is time to begin thinking your guest list for dinner, and that means figuring what to say in your Thanksgiving invitation wording. Whether you are writing an invitation for a formal event or just want to invite your friends and family over for some turkey and football, there are many things you need to consider before finalizing the wording of your invitation.
Whether you are hosting fancy dinner or a more relaxed buffet, this post will help you write your invitation with the correct tone of voice and language. Your Thanksgiving party can be as casual or formal as you want, but if it is an official dinner then the invitation should reflect that so that guests know what to expect before they RSVP to the party.
Looking where to find Thanksgiving invitations, whether digital, printed, or templates? Check out these great options.
Common questions about Writing Thanksgiving Invitations
What to include on an invitation for Thanksgiving party
It is important to include the following when writing your invitation:
1) When and where
2) What time the party starts, and what time the meal is (if different in case they also have other plans that day)
3) Who should come (e.g., if they are welcome to bring family, friends, colleagues, etc.)
4) What is available (e.g., food, drink, entertainment)
5) RSVP information (e.g., they can reply via phone or email)
6) How to dress if there is a dress code, will be other activities such as games or football, or if it is a fun costume party.
Some families dress up for Thanksgiving while others eat around the TV to catch the big games. Help your guests feel comfortable by sharing a glimpse into what the party will be like so they don’t attend over or under-dressed for the occasion.
It is not necessary to include the following:
– Your personal plans for Thanksgiving (e.g., “We will be eating at my house”)
– Any additional information that does not relate directly to your thanksgiving event (e.g., sharing a list of stores with good deals on Black Friday)
– Any language that might be offensive or inappropriate for your guests
– Your personal feelings on the holiday (unless it is part of a political statement, etc.)
If the event is not too formal but still want the wording to sound professional, make sure you use proper grammar and check any spelling mistakes. You do not have to write the invitation in third person; you can use first or second person.
Here are some other tips for what is appropriate or not for invites:
Appropriate: We hope we can spend Thanksgiving together!
Inappropriate: Hey, we were hoping we could come by and eat some turkey at your house this year? 🙂 (Never invite yourself to someone else’s house)
Appropriate: Can’t wait to see you on Thanksgiving if you can attend! 🙂
Inappropriate: I expect you to come to our house for Thanksgiving (People may have other plans or may just not want to spend Thanksgiving outside their own home).
A formal invitation would look something like this:
The Smith family cordially invites you to their Thanksgiving dinner at their home.
The dinner will be held on November 24th, 2017 from 12:00-14:00 pm (or equivalent time).
Please RSVP to this email or call 555-555-5555 by November 18th if you plan on attending and let us know how many people are in your party.
When to send out thanksgiving invitations
You can send invitations for Thanksgiving about two weeks in advance or anytime after Halloween. It is good to give guests ample time to prepare, but you don’t want to wait until the last-minute to send out an invitation as they will likely have already made plans.
Of course feel free to add people to your guest list if you find friends or family without a place to go on Thanksgiving in the spirit for generosity!
How many people you should invite to thanksgiving dinner
The number of people that you should invite to your Thanksgiving dinner really depends on a few factors. There are different estimates of how many people can comfortably fit in a room, but the best way to determine how many people you want to have at your dinner is by considering who will be there.
– Will this be a family dinner or will it include friends and relatives?
– Will children be present? If so what activities will you have for them to stay entertained during the party.
These fun Thanksgiving placemats are perfect for both kids and adults before it is dinner time!
Also, keep in mind for food preparation if there are a lot of small children they might not eat as much as adults so may not need to be counted individually for the headcount.
What do you write on a Thanksgiving invitation?
Crafting your message for a party invite of any kind doesn’t have to be difficult. As long as you get the main details across it will be fine. However, it is fun to add an introductory phrase or another message along with the details to make it more personal.
We have tons of ideas below to make yours match your dinner party perfectly.
Sample Thanksgiving Invitation Wording Samples
The invitation for this occasion is one of the most important parts of the celebration, as it sets the tone for your event. Make sure you are clear on what you want to convey with your wording before finalizing anything!
To help you get started, here are a few example thanksgiving invitation wording samples for different types of situations and parties.
Formal Thanksgiving Invitation Wording Samples
Invitations for a formal event should be written as formal invitations. If you are hosting an official dinner, write your invitation with this tone of voice and language.
A formal Thanksgiving party is not something to take lightly, as it requires a lot of preparation and attention to detail. Before finalizing your wording for the invitations, make sure that you are clear on all these points! You want everything to be perfect so people will have an enjoyable time.
A formal invitation for an official dinner would look something like this:
The Smith family cordially invites you to their Thanksgiving dinner at their home.
The dinner will be held on November 24th, 2017 from 12:00-14:00 pm (or equivalent time).
Please RSVP to this email or call 555-555-5555 by November 18th if you plan on attending and let us know how many people are in your party.
An informal invitation for a family dinner would look something like this:
We hope you can join us at our house for Thanksgiving! Dinner will be served from 12-16 o’clock. Please RSVP to let us know how many people are in your party.
Other examples of invitation phrases for formal Thanksgiving parties:
- Your presence is requested at the home of the Jones family to share in a Thanksgiving meal with those we are most grateful to know and love.
- Please join us for a Thanksgiving cocktail party as we celebrate this past year and reflect on all we have been blessed with. Appetizers and Cocktails will be served starting at 8pm at the Rodger family home.
Casual Thanksgiving invitation messages
As an alternative to a formal dinner, you could write the invitations as casual Thanksgiving party invites! If this is what you are aiming for, make sure your wording reflects that tone of voice and style.
You can choose any type of language or grammar you want when writing informal thanksgiving invitation wording samples; they do not have to be correct. For example:
Now that Halloween is over, we would love to invite you all to join us for dinner on Sunday, November 27th at around noon. We will have turkey with our famous stuffing along with mashed potatoes and gravy as well as some pumpkin pie for dessert!
P.S. Check out these ideas for future Halloween Invitation Wording!
If you are brainstorming ideas for thanksgiving invitation wording to friends, you are likely looking for something more casual that is just asking them to come over and celebrate. A casual invite to your guest list might look something like this:
Come to my house at 12! We’re having turkey and I made the best pie. 🙂
Please RSVP with how many people are coming, if you can make it or not, etc. by November 21st so we know how much food to prepare. Let me know if you need my address!
Here are a few other ideas for casual introduction messages for thanksgiving invites:
- It’s almost Turkey Day! Let’s eat together and watch some football!
- Gobble Gobble Let’s Eat!
- Can’t wait to see you on Thanksgiving! 🙂
- We’re having a shindig with family and friends. We hope you can join us for some food, fun, and football! Please RSVP so we know how much food to prepare. xoxo
- Happy Thanksgiving from your favorite long distance friends! We will be eating Thanksgiving dinner together over Zoom for a chance to all “be together” for the holiday, and would love you to pop on and say hi or stay and eat with us!
- Come on over on Thanksgiving for some Food, Football and Fun!
- We are so thankful for our family and friends—what a better way than to spend the day together! If you do not have plans for Thanksgiving, I hope you will consider joining us for a festive feast on Thanksgiving day at our house!
Family Thanksgiving Invitation ideas
- We are grateful for you, and all that you do, and would love to share Thanksgiving too!
- Food is great on Turkey Day, but family is even better! Come eat with us or stop by for Thanksgiving crafts and coffee while we plan our Black Friday attack plan :).
- We hope you can join us for a delicious Thanksgiving day dinner. Please let me know if you plan to attend and I will save a place at the table!
Funny Thanksgiving Invite Ideas
- Gobble Gobble Let’s Eat!
- You’re invited to a food fight on Thanksgiving Day!
- Turkey Day Cartoons—bring the kids to enjoy cartoons and lots of yummy food
- Food + Friends=Fun…Join us for Thanksgiving Dinner and we will even let you stay for Dessert!
- It’s the annual Turkey Bowl! Come play flag football in the yard before the feast, winner gets extra pie!
- It’s almost Turkey Day – and we all know you love to eat! Join us in celebrating this most wonderful
- This year we are doing something different—come dressed as your favorite Thanksgiving food!
Church thanksgiving invitation message
- Dear Friends and Family, We are so excited to celebrate Thanksgiving with all of you!
- Greetings from the church family, It is our honor to share in your joyous moments as we prepare for Thanksgiving Day. In celebration of this time of thanksgiving please join us on November 22nd from 11:00am until 12:30pm at the church…
- Join us as we thank the Lord for all he has blessed us with at a church wide Thanksgiving feast. We ask that you bring a dish to share.
- We are so thankful for all of our friends and family! As this Thanksgiving approaches, we’d like to invite you & yours to come celebrate with us at the church on November 22nd from 11:00am until 12:30pm. We’ll be serving up some delicious food catered by the church and we hope to see you there!
- In the generous spirit of Thanksgiving, we will be preparing Thanksgiving meals for families in our community. Please consider donating items from our attached list of ingredients or food items, or help us pack Thanksgiving meal boxes together to hand out to families in need.
When it comes to thanksgiving invitations, the key is making sure you’re never too formal or informal. You want your guests to know that this invitation is for a genuine and heartfelt thanksgiving dinner with family and friends without seeming like you’re inviting them over just because they happen to be in town at the same time as Thanksgiving.
Other Thanksgiving Ideas to Check out:
- Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes
- Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- 15 Stunning Edible Gifts for Your Thanksgiving Host(ess)
- Free Fall & Thanksgiving I Spy Printable Game
