It's hard to believe Thanksgiving is just 2 weeks away! If you are hosting friends or family this year, it's definitely time to make a plan and start putting it into motion.

Start by thinking through each aspect of the day - Menu, Shopping, Seating, Timetable, Decorations, and Cleaning. Once you have everything down on paper, you'll have a better idea of how much time it might take you to complete all of these tasks. Make it a goal to increase the joy and gratitude of Thanksgiving while keeping the hair-pulling moments to a minimum.

Following are five tips to help you celebrate a happy, organized, and stress-free holiday:

1: TRAVEL SMART!
Millions of Americans will be hitting the roads (and sky) to travel to and
from their Thanksgiving destinations. Get a leg up on your fellow travelers
by being organized, prepared, and smart.

Traveling by air? Arrive at the airport well before your flight - at least an hour and a half, particularly if you plan to check luggage. If possible, why not save yourself the hassle all together by going the carry-on route! Keeping your bags with you on the plane will save you time checking in and leaving the airport, and will eliminate the risk of lost luggage.

Traveling by car? Check local sources to see if there are any problems with the roads on which you'll be driving. Knowing beforehand about construction, road closures, severe traffic, and other obstacles will allow you to choose an alternate route, or at least to allot more time to reach your
destination.

Traveling by Train? Book a reserved ticket and get to the station early to increase your chances of getting a seat on the train. If your destination is served by a regional or mass transit rail line, consider using it, rather than Amtrak; the ride might not be as luxurious, but it'll be less crowded, and almost certainly less expensive.

2: AVOID LARGE PROJECTS: You know I love tackling large organizing projects, but now isn't the time. Starting a large project these next few weeks, when so much else is happening, increases the chances you won't be able to finish it, which will leave you worse off, and faced with more disorganization. Instead, select a few small tasks which will allow you to comfortably entertain guests without feeling like something is looming over your head. Even simpler, make a list of projects you want to tackle - dealing with your closets, getting files into drawers - and schedule time on your calendar to move forward after the holiday.

3: BE PREPARED: Hosts are faced with a big challenge: cooking a huge meal for several people, with all of the sub-tasks that go along with it! If you're hosting, avoid making Thanksgiving a crazy, busy rush by doing a few small, but important prep tasks earlier in the week.

Having hosted countless holidays over the years, I watched my mom get organized by pulling out all the serving dishes she planned to use a day in advance. She would label each dish or bowl with a note on what it would be used for (i.e. mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, carrots...).

Check out this photo from the late 80's and you'll see her in action! Love you mom!

I also suggest bringing out any table linens you're planning to use to be sure they're clean, ironed, and that you have enough napkins or placemats. Speaking of placemats...

I just have to add a great idea here for the "kids table" - chalkboard place mats! O.R.E. Chalk-a-Doodle place mats (with four pieces of chalk and eraser), $12 each. So cute and will definitely keep the kiddies entertained.

4: ASK - AND OFFER - HELP: If you're hosting put your guests to work! You can ask them to take coats, have them play bartender and get drinks, light candles, or fill water glasses at the table. If guests ask what they can bring, have an answer prepared - whether it's a side dish, a dessert, or wine - make sure it contributes to the menu. If you're the guest at a Thanksgiving meal, offer to pitch in, and take your task out of the kitchen if space is tight so you won't crowd the other things happening in the room.

5: AVOID STORES ON BLACK FRIDAY! I know, I know, Obama would be disappointed I'm not encouraging your supporting our struggling economy, but I strongly advise avoiding malls and big department stores the day after Thanksgiving. It's called "Black Friday" because it was traditionally the day on which retailers finally broke even on their expenses and started to make a profit.

Though many stores advertise big sales, getting the deals you see in the paper or on TV means doing battle with huge crowds, standing in long lines, and quite possibly buying things you neither want nor need simply because they carry discounted price tags.

If you feel you absolutely must take advantage of Black Friday sales, consider spending a limited amount of time online to buy what you're truly interested in via the store's website.

A more pleasant, less stressful, and much less cluttered option, though, is to direct your focus elsewhere all together - why not get outdoors for a post-Thanksgiving hike, to spending time with friends and family, or simply relax and enjoy a day off.

GIFT CERTIFICATES ARE AVAILABLE!

Santora LLC offers custom gift certificates for all event coordination services. Whether it's one of the many event planning packages available, or just a few hours of a la carte services, a custom gift certificate is the perfect gift to help reduce stress, save time, and money!