Hosting Thanksgiving Without Stressing Out

Just the thought of hosting a Thanksgiving celebration causes extreme stress for many people. But with some careful planning and a few "tricks", the annual Thanksgiving gathering can be fun and actually easy-as-pie.

It is key to plan out your gathering. Think about who you will invite. In some families, it's just a given that all 65 members of the extended family will show up. For others, it's typically a small gathering of 12 people or less. When planning the guest list, also consider what each person can bring to help out. The featured items at a Thanksgiving feast can be expensive, so ask each invitee to bring something. Does Grandma Faye make the best pumpkin pie? Ask her to bring it. Is Uncle Dave a wine afficianado? Ask him to bring a couple of bottles of his favorite wine. Is Cousin Ted a college student who doesn't know anything about cooking? Ask him to bring ice, paper plates or jars of olives.

As you get your RSVPs from your invitations, make sure that you keep track of who is bringing what. This will help ensure that no major items are left off your menu. As the host, you should prepare the turkey and the dressing (or stuffing) and any other major items that need to be offered. Menus for Thanksgiving feasts vary depending on your family and also your geographic location. Growing up in the south, we always had turkey, dressing, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, rolls, corn pudding, olives, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, pecan pie and buttermilk pie.

As Turkey Day approaches, you'll need to purchase your turkey. How big of a turkey will you need? Check out the following link at Butterball.com for easy to use "calculators" to determine turkey size and thawing times. Their website makes it very simple. Another thing that makes preparing a turkey really simple and foolproof is cooking your turkey in an oven bag. Make sure you buy the size specified for turkeys and follow the prep instructions and cooking times listed on the oven bag packaging. I have prepared numerous turkeys using oven bags, and each time they turn out moist, juicy and very tasty. Another benefit to using oven bags is that they reduce the cooking time considerably.

Think about how you want to the festivities to unfold. Are you more comfortable with a casual buffet style gathering? Or do you prefer a formal sit down dinner? Will you have a separate table for young children or will it be best to keep the kids with their parents? Is your group excited about watching the football games on TV? If so, that may play a role in your planning and/or timing of your feast.

Remember to relax and enjoy the day. Get up early, savor a cup or two of pumpkin-spiced coffee. Ease into the day. Have the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on your TV while you cook and prepare for your guests. Select an outfit that is comfortable and loose at the waist. Allow others to help out with the preparations too. It will make the day much less stressful on you.

Savor the meal and the joy of having loved ones with you on this special day. Then take a quick nap before enjoying the football game on TV, some shopping at a local store, or going for a fall walk. After that, it's time for a plate of seconds!