Assemble everything you'll need: extra tables and chairs, the tablecloth and a spare, napkins, plates, flatware and glasses for each course. You'll need water glasses, too. Chill pitchers of fresh tap water with slices of lime or lemon, now.
Put empty platters on the table and label each with the dish it will hold.
Write out your menu on paper large enough so you can check off what's under control, reassess what you still have time for, consider which elements can be delegated, and decide what lofty, complicated ideas should be scrapped.
Include everything on your menu, from the toasted almonds to sprinkle on the soup to the cream and sugar for the coffee.
A written menu also guards against that end-of-the-evening anguish when you realize you forgot to serve the salad.
If your concern is that the turkey may take longer than anticipated, buy time by adding an appetizer, serving the salad as a separate course, or putting a store-bought soup on the menu.
Pennsylvania Wine and Spirits Shops are closed today (Some liquor stores in New Jersey are open). But there's still time to serve hot cider, kept warm in a Crock-Pot.
Did you forget flowers? Not a problem - just remember all the times you had to take the flowers off the table to make room for the food. If there are young helpers around, ask them to collect fallen leaves (soft ones, not crumbly) to sprinkle on the table along with acorns (wash and dry them, kids).
Many supermarkets, among them Whole Foods and Acme, are open until 4 p.m. for last-minute shopping. If you are rethinking your side dishes, select those that won't take up time and space in the oven.
