For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal live. John 3:16 (NIV)

It's that time of year, the leaves are falling and there's a little chill in the air as summer takes its last breath. Just around the corner, we'll gain an hour of sleep. Good thing too, we'll need that sleep to prepare for the onslaught of holiday guests we have coming over for Thanksgiving this year! To help you get through this Thanksgiving holiday, here are some essential tips for making sure things go smoothly and to make your holiday just a little less frantic.

The Setting

It's so easy to decorate for Thanksgiving. You can make a gorgeous centerpiece using items from around your house. Use a basket filled with gourds, fallen leaves, Indian corn, pinecones, corn husks, squash and mini pumpkins. You can also use these things to decorate your home. A few well placed mini pumpkins do wonders to set the mood for Thanksgiving.

The Table

Make sure you have clearly marked placecards for each person, so they know where to sit. Also, be sure to leave enough room on the table for all your serving dishes. It's a good idea to have extra chairs handy for any surprise guests who show up.

Meal Preparation Tips

Preparing a complete Thanksgiving meal can be quite a task, but with proper preparation ahead of time, you should be able to pull it off without a hitch. First, write down your menu and make a shopping list. Just in case, buy a little more of each item, so you won't be stuck with having too little of something on Thanksgiving day and all the stores are closed. Do your shopping a couple days ahead of time to beat the inevitable last minute rush of Thanksgiving Eve. Make sure you have plenty of room in your kitchen and refrigerator and freezer to hold all the food you'll buy. You'll want to begin preparation of your dishes on Thanksgiving Eve unless you want to get up very early. Make sure you pay special attention to what needs to be done to the turkey. Hopefully, it's not frozen, but if it is, you can put it in the kitchen sink with lukewarm water and just keep changing the water every hour or so to hasten the thawing. For other dishes, prepare as much as you can ahead of time. You can usually make many side dishes and desserts completely ahead of time....more...

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Essential Thanksgiving Preparation & Entertaining Tips by Lydia Quinn