Make sure your turkey is perfect, your spread is on point, and your booze supply is big enough.
You're not buying your turkey soon enough.
While turkey may not be the most delicious part of Thanksgiving, it is the centerpiece. You should have a plan in mind for when and where you're getting yours.
If your'e buying a frozen turkey, buy it 1-2 weeks ahead of time and store it in the freezer.
If your'e buying a fresh turkey, you should pick it up or have it delivered on Tuesday before Thanksgiving (Monday will work, too), giving you time to brine it. Reserve it two weeks in advance, either by calling your local grocery store or by scheduling delivery from an online retailer.
You're overfilling your pie crust.
Pumpkin pie filling puffs as it cooks, thanks to the eggs mixed in. Leave at least half an inch of crust above the filling so that there's no messy spillover.
Lauren Zaser / BuzzFeed
You forget that a turkey takes three to four days to thaw.
The safest way to thaw your turkey is by putting it in the fridge, where it'll take roughly 24 hours for every 5 pounds. So, a 15 pound turkey will take 3 days to fully thaw. That means that if you want to brine it for 24 hours, you need to put it in the fridge to start thawing on Sunday. Learn more here.
If it's already too late for that, here are some last-resort ways to thaw your turkey.
Your timing is off.
Face it, even a simple Thanksgiving takes work. It's important that you go in with a plan and keep to a schedule. If you're just starting out, here's an easy Thanksgiving that anyone can make.
Macey Foronda / Chris Ritter / BuzzFeed
via BuzzFeed/Food