How early to start preparing for holiday dinners?

**MomToTwoBoys** · 10-10-2008, 10:43 PM

There's three days until Thanksgiving (here in Canada). Every year since I came here, I've been habitually late with getting stuff set up. This year I wanted to change that, so I started three days early in preparing stuff for Monday. We don't plan on having a huge dinner, however, we do plan on eating alot of the basics. Turkey, stuffing (my own homemade recipe), mashed potatoes and gravy, coleslaw, deviled eggs, carrots, broccoli and pumpkin pie will be on our menu. Oh yeah, and cranberry sauce (both the real and the jellied) too. The pumpkin pie will be homemade for the first time ever, and I was debating on making strawberry rhubarb for DH.

How early is too early to start preparing?

**justpeachy92** · 10-10-2008, 11:48 PM

From what you have planned I would do the pie, cranberry sauce and deviled eggs the day before. You could also peel your potatoes the day before and cover them with water in a bowl and put in the fridge.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 10-11-2008, 12:25 AM

Yeah I had actually planned on doing the stuffing the day before too and let it sit in the fridge. I just mainly want to put the turkey in, baste it and then put the remaining stuffing (in the glass pan) in the oven with it half an hour before dinner is done. I just got tired of running around like a mad woman on that day.

**monkeywrangler71** · 10-11-2008, 12:43 AM

I do it all in the morning, except for Christmas when I get the prep done the day before. I haven't even bought the turkey yet, so it may not even be thawed by Monday.

I kind of like bustling around the kitchen getting everything ready, not as much fun if it's all done beforehand. I'd make the pies ahead though.