Holiday Meal & Party Planner

What's inside

• Dashboard: total budget, spent, left, % used, guests confirmed, days to Thanksgiving, and a table for each event (date, days to go, guests, dishes, budget, spent, left) with a budget vs spent chart.
• Settings: 6 events ready to rename (Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, Holiday Party, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve), with a food and a drinks & other budget for each. Thanksgiving's date is calculated for any year.
• Turkey planner: people eating (RSVP = Yes) x pounds per person = turkey size, fridge-thawing days (USDA: about 24 hours per 4 to 5 lb) and the "move to the fridge by" date.
• Guest List: up to 60 households with event, RSVP, adults, kids, dietary needs and what they're bringing.
• Menu Planner: up to 60 dishes by course, who's making it, serves and make-ahead.
• Prep Timeline: type "days before" and each task gets its date and a countdown; overdue tasks turn red.
• Grocery List: up to 150 items with store section, quantity, store, estimate, actual paid, bought? and over/under.
• Party Costs: decorations, drinks, tableware, rentals and entertainment.

CALENDAR PACK (.ics)

14 all-day reminders (plan the menu, buy the turkey, shopping days, thawing day, make-ahead day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, New Year's Eve shopping and a January budget check-in) that import into Google, Apple or Outlook calendar, so they also show up on family calendar displays that sync those calendars, such as Skylight. Includes a 1-page import guide and a plain-text holiday menus PDF to copy into a meal-planning app.

YOU RECEIVE (instant download)

• Excel file (.xlsx), Excel 2016 or newer, Windows and Mac. Opens in Google Sheets too.

• PDF quick-start guide for Google Sheets.

• Holiday Meal Calendar Pack (.zip): .ics file, Calendar Guide PDF, Holiday Menus (text) PDF.

• Start Here tab with 5 set-up steps and sample data you can clear.

How it works

1. Download, then open in Google Sheets (see the PDF) or Excel.
2. Set your events and budgets, then add guests and dishes.
3. Follow the prep timeline, log what you spend, and enjoy the meal.

Compatibility

Google Sheets (free Google account) and Microsoft Excel 2016+. Set-up is easiest on a computer; tick off groceries on your phone in the Sheets app. Not designed for Apple Numbers.

License

Personal use. Please don't resell, share or redistribute the files.

Thawing guidance: USDA, about 24 hours in the refrigerator for every 4 to 5 lb; cook turkey to 165°F. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Skylight / Glimpse LLC, Google, Apple or Microsoft.