Your First Thanksgiving

The Starter

The Turkey & Trimmings

The Sides

The Pie

Simplify Dinnerware and Linens

• Mix-and-match your dinnerware with warm fall colors for table linens and napkins. Colored candles and ribbons or twine tied around napkins can tie everything together.

• Those fall-tinted drinking glasses someone gave you as a gift might be just the thing for this dinner! What other wedding gifts have you yet to enjoy?

• Or, select from the array of bright, colorful paper napkins and place mats available.

Stunning and Colorful Centerpiece

• Float cut mums in a glass bowl. See our Leaning Flowers "recipe" for more bouquet ideas.

• Fill a shallow bowl with various sizes and colors of pears. Tuck a few blooms, such as gerbera daisies in waterpicks, among the pears. (Waterpicks are the small water vials that hold water for cut flowers added to potted plants. Florists are where you can find them.)

Success Strategies

• To Roast or Grill
• Review Turkey Cooking Tips. Consider whether roasting turkey in the oven or cooking on the grill suits your style and skills
  
  
• Save-the-Day Tableware
• Short on serving bowls? Try inexpensive sturdy plastic bowls available in the housewares or party supply section of your favorite store.
• Use a disposable roasting pan for the turkey. Ask Mom to bring her turkey platter
  
  
• Plan and Work Ahead
• Make two shopping lists, one for items that can be purchased up to two weeks ahead and the other for items to purchase one or two days before Thanksgiving.
• Sit down with your spouse or a helper. Go through the Plan-Ahead Guide. Divide and conquer, including those jobs like housecleaning and setting the table.

Up to 3 Days Before

• Thaw turkey, using our Poultry Thawing Chart as a guide.
• Decide whether to prepare or purchase dinner rolls and cranberry sauce.
• Prepare Cranberry-Orange Sauce, if using recipe.  Chill or thaw purchased cranberry sauce.

1 Day Before

• Make Bread Stuffing; cover and refrigerate immediately.
• Make Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Pie.  
• Wrap purchased dinner rolls tightly in foil.

About 4 Hours Before

• Wash turkey; pat dry with paper towels. Stuff with Bread Stuffing.
• Place turkey in oven for roasting immediately after stuffing.

About 2 Hours Before

• Wash apples and pears for Ginger Dip with Apples and Pears; core and slice. Dip into orange juice mixture to keep them from turning brown. Prepare Ginger Dip.  Arrange apple and pear slices on a serving plate with dip. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving.
• Make Ultimate Slow Cooker Potatoes.

About 45 Minutes Before

• Make Supreme Green Bean Casserole; raise oven temperature to 350ºF when turkey is removed. Bake casserole.

About 30 Minutes Before

• Set out Ginger Dip with Apples and Pears and offer guests favorite sippers as they arrive.
• Remove turkey from oven; place on carving board or platter, and cover with foil to keep warm.
• Remove stuffing from turkey; place in serving bowl and cover with foil to keep warm.
• Prepare Savory Nutty Crescents (if served).

About 20 Minutes Before

• Bake crescents or heat purchased rolls wrapped in foil until hot.
• Make Classic Pan Gravy or recipe variation.

About 10 Minutes Before

• Carve the turkey and arrange on a platter. If serving time is delayed, cover carved turkey with foil to keep warm.