Tips for a Stress-Free Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is definitely a holiday that can translate into a lot of stress for the hosts of the big turkey day dinner. But if you've been pegged this year to serve Thanksgiving dinner to your friends and family, there's no need for a last-minute panic attack. With a little forethought and some planning, you can host an unforgettable holiday meal and actually enjoy it too. Here are some tips to help you survive this Thanksgiving with your wits in place and your smile intact:

Ask for help: Just because you are nice enough to host Thanksgiving at your house does not mean that you have to do everything on your own. When guests ask, "What can I bring?" take them up on their offer and give them some suggestions. No guest wants to show up empty-handed to Thanksgiving dinner, so you're letting them fulfill their need to help and shifting some of the load off of you. One tip here - keep track of who you tell to bring what so that you don't end up with ten desserts and one side. For guests that don't cook, suggest they bring a bottle of wine or a bakery pie...anything they can contribute will be appreciated.

Clean as a crew: Nobody wants to host Thanksgiving in a messy house, so you know you'll have to clean before your guests arrive. Get this out of the way at least by the day before Thanksgiving, and don't try to do it on your own. Focus on the rooms that your guests will see - don't worry about your children's messy rooms, etc. Enlist the help of your spouse and your kids (they'll probably be on vacation from school anyway) and this task will get done a lot quicker. If you simply do not have the time to clean, think about using a cleaning company for a thorough once-over...their fee might be worth more than losing your sanity!