Thanksgiving Survival Guide
From how to roast a turkey to how to handle your drunk uncle, here are tips and tricks to survive T-Day
Thanksgiving is just a mere few days away.
Hallmark movies and commercials depict family and friends gathering for a golden turkey dinner.
The reality is more like an SNL skit: a turkey that refused to defrost, a mess of a kitchen, an uncle who loves to drink too much, and a large helping of chaos.
Myself? My plans to fly home for the holiday were thwarted, so tomorrow I’ll scrounge ingredients to make dinner for myself and my two dogs. Afterward, I’ll put up the tree and retreat to the local watering hole — a haven for people who want to knock a few back after family duties.
Whether you’re cooking a large spread, traveling home, or spending the day helping others I hope there’s a lot to be thankful for.
Here are a few last-minute tips to make your holiday go smoothly.
Talking Turkey
The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that Americans consume more than 46 million turkeys on Thanksgiving Day. It’s also a safe bet that most of these people roast a turkey only once a year.
That being said, the Butterball Turkey Hotline is a real thing. Each year, hundreds of chefs and cooks man the line during November and December to answer all your turkey-related questions. These dinner saviors can help you with everything from how to defrost a turkey to how long to cook your bird.
On Thanksgiving day, you can speak to a real person from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST. I’ve called these gentle souls before, and they are lovely and helpful — and probably used to walking people through all sorts of meltdowns.
Call 1-800-BUTTERBALL or text 844-877-3456 to chat with the turkey experts. If you have questions after hours, the Butterball website has a host of turkey-related instructions and suggestions.
What’s Open for Last Minute Shopping?
It’s bound to happen: You make a large shopping list, prepare all your ingredients, and somehow you forget an ingredient. Worse — you’re invited to your partner’s home and forget to buy a bottle of wine.
Many stores — including major grocery and supermarket chains like Trader Joe’s, Publix, Target, and Aldi — are CLOSED on Thanksgiving.
Whole Foods, Fresh Market, Texas chain HEB, and more are open. USA Today has the full rundown here.
Looking for a bottle of bourbon? The Pioneer Woman lists what states allow alcohol sales on Thanksgiving.
Need some Caffeine?
Both Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts chains plan to open on Thanksgiving — though individual store hours can vary, so it’s best to check.
No Drama at the Table
What’s a holiday without a little family drama? The trick is to not let things escalate.
According to Social Work Today, there are four rules to keeping the peace during the holidays:
Eliminate Politics from the Dinner Table Discussion
Don't Try to Fix Each Other's Life at Thanksgiving
Don't Take Everything Personally  Â
Remind Yourself Why You Are Doing It