If you have been having nightmares and waking up in the middle night because of the thought of cooking a turkey, well this post is for you! But I have to let you know I have never cooked and served an entire Thanksgiving dinner by myself, I have only been watching and helping my mom do it for… Well this will be the 28th year.
First things first… Breathe! It’s a meal for crying out loud and no matter what happens, I bet no one starves. 
I hope that by now you are close to knowing exactly who is coming. If not, get there by the end of this week so you can take full advantage of this coming weekend to plan and get everything under control for next week.
Here are some things that you can do to get organized for your Thanksgiving Dinner…
- Figure out your menu! [Check out the Food Network for some yummy recipes if you're stuck.] Have your guests bring desserts so that you don’t even need to worry about it!
- When your guests ask you what you can bring, delegate and tell them! Don’t feel bad… That’s what friends and family are for! They wouldn’t want to see you all stressed out and panicking over making a meal, so take the help!
- Stock up now on the things you know you will need; butter, cranberries, pumpkin, flour, sugar, olive oil, brown sugar and pecans.
- Stock up on alcohol… If that’s your family’s thing to do… Trader Joe’s always has great deals on wine!
- Start cleaning the house now! Delegate to your husband and kids as well… If they want to eat next Thursday, they’ll help! And if that doesn’t work… Tell them that “Santa’s watching!!!”
- How are you decorating? What is your centerpiece? Do you have enough linens; table cloth, napkins, etc. Also, do you have enough dishes and silverware for everyone? Don’t forget the serving spoons! Need ideas, check out the Tip Junkie for 12 Thanksgiving Table Centerpiece Ideas.
Try not to stress out too much… This is supposed to be a happy and fun time of the year… Make sure it is just that! If you get organized now, the nightmares may subside and you will feel much better about cooking Thanksgiving dinner next week for your whole entire family! You can do it! If you screw it up though, don’t think you can just order Chinese food… Because even they are closed on Thanksgiving! [I learned that lesson a couple of years ago!]
What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish to make and share with your family?
