Make your guest list.
Make your menu.
Order your turkey--especially if you want a fresh one. (Plan on 1 1/4 pounds per person.)
Measure your oven to make sure your turkey will fit.
Invite your guests. (Before you get on the phone, have a list of guests and a list of dishes. Then, if someone offers to bring a dish, accept the offer. And if they don't offer, ask them.)


THREE WEEKS OUT:

Check your equipment:
Table (one large enough for all your guests)
Chairs for all of your guests

Dishware:
Dinner plates
Dessert plates
Coffee cups and saucers

Silverware:
Polished forks, knives and spoons

Glassware:
Water glasses
Clean wine glasses

Linens:
Clean napkins
Tablecloth (large enough to fit your table)

Cooking and serving items:
Roasting pan: Is it the right size for your turkey? Will it fit into your oven? (Don't laugh: It's easier to buy the right pan today than it will be on Thanksgiving morning.)
Big-enough bowls, pots and serving platters
Trivets
Bread basket
Sauceboat
Gravy pitcher
Well-sharpened knives
Coffeepot--Can yours make both regular and decaf for a crowd? Maybe you should get a thermos.
Sugar bowl
Cream pitcher

SUGGESTION: If you can afford it, having someone to do the dishes will make an immense difference in your enjoyment of the meal.


TWO WEEKS OUT:

Make a seating chart.
Work on your shopping lists--don't forget tonic, seltzer and apple cider for the kids.
Begin cooking--relish will keep in the fridge for a week; gravy freezes well.)
Select a wine--Caterers recommend providing a half bottle for each guest--not counting children, of course.


ONE WEEK OUT:

Tidy up the house.
Put clean towels in the bathroom.
Make a final shopping list--Remember ice, cream for the coffee and nuts for nibbling in the living room.


THANKSGIVING WEEK - MONDAY:

Defrost your turkey (if it's frozen).
Remember that you have to allow 24 hours for every 5 pounds if you're going to defrost a turkey in the refrigerator. That means a 15-pound turkey will take three full days, so get started on Monday.

SUGGESTION: If you miss that deadline, you can defrost the bird faster in a sinkful of cold water, allowing about half an hour for each pound of turkey and changing the water occasionally. (It will still take 7 1/2 hours for that 15-pounder, so do it after work on Wednesday, then refrigerate it.)


THANKSGIVING WEEK - TUESDAY:

Do your final food shopping.
Make a cooking schedule for Thanksgiving Day.
If guests are invited for 5 P.M., count backward from a 6 P.M. dinner, writing down the time everything goes into the oven or the microwave. Don't forget the dishes that will have to be reheated.


THANKSGIVING WEEK - WEDNESDAY:

Set the table.
Clear out the coat closet for guest coats.
Clean the guest bathroom. If possible, make it off-limits to the family.
Take the gravy out of the freezer and put it in the refrigerator so it can defrost.


THANKSGIVING DAY:

You'll be so caught up that you'll be looking around for things to do. Have a great Thanksgiving!