If you have been assigned to bring a dish to Thanksgiving dinner, or are even hosting the whole thing, check out this humorous flowchart courtesy of Chow. Who doesn’t love “The ancient marshmallow yams of sorrow”?!

Image courtesy of Chow.

Fall is a great season! The crisp weather, beautiful leaves and the fact that it is still warm enough to get outside and enjoy the weather without melting into a puddle means that autumn is the top season in our book.

Here are some of our favorite things about fall:

• Getting out cozy blankets. There’s nothing like cuddling up in a warm throw blanket to watch a movie. Try this one from Pottery Barn in an autumn-appropriate plaid.
• Time to bake! Now that summer’s heat is over, you can finally turn on the oven again without sending a heat wave through the house. And all the fall foods! Apples, pumpkins, other root vegetables — yum! Here are some ideas from The Kitchn for fall cookies.
• Fun fall activities: Going to an apple orchard or pumpkin patch. Picking a Halloween costume. Jumping in a pile of leaves. Going on a hayride. Building a bonfire. Carving jack-o-lanterns. Have a ball with fall!

DIY Project: Handmade Gift Wrap
Design*Sponge
Ever wanted to add an extra personal touch to your gift giving? Try making your own gift wrap. This how-to takes you through the process.

Which is Greener, a Real of Fake Christmas Tree?
The Daily Green
“For many families, the centerpiece of Christmas celebrations is the luminous, awe-inspiring tree set up with care in the living room. But with all the options now available, how do you know which Christmas tree is the greenest choice for the environment?”

Foodie Holiday Gift Ideas for Kids of All Ages
The Epi-Log
Wondering what to get your young gourmand? Here are some ideas from the editors at Epicurious.com.

Design & Decor Books: The Best of 2010
Apartment Therapy
“Even the most die-hard design blog addict will admit there is something special about flipping through the pages of a real, tangible book on home design. Throughout the year we have posted on a host of books about the home — from inspirational (and “aspirational”) glossy tomes to instructional and downright technical guidebooks.”

5 Last-Minute Green Gift Ideas
Re-nest
“‘Twas the weekend before Christmas, and just like this blogger, you’re scrambling to find some good green gift fodder. You forgot someone important (how’d that happen!?) or a few extra folks are coming to celebrate, and you don’t want to resort to some plastic crap that the giftee will end up sending to Goodwill anyway. What to do? We have some ideas.”

It’s hard to believe, especially with the unseasonably warm weather in much of the country, that Thanksgiving is almost upon us. For most people, the Turkey Day feasting and festivities aren’t a last-minute impromptu deal. There are traditions to be upheld, food to be made and occasionally even some family holiday squabbling to be soothed. So you’d better be organized!

Better Homes and Gardens has a great Thanksgiving countdown checklist. It’s pretty exhaustive, but here are a few of MLuxe’s favorite tips:

• Don’t forget to order your turkey, especially if you are getting a special bird.
• Make sure you have enough in the way of plates, cups, silverware, etc. Don’t have enough place settings of your fine china? Use the everyday stuff for the kids, or ask your guests to bring some of their china. It will look eclectic and chic!
• Think of something — anything — to keep the kiddos occupied. If it’s warm enough, how about touch football or Capture the Flag? If it’s an indoor day, make sure you have some good board games and DVDs around.
• Set the table the night before — it will take some stress off your day-of preparations.
• Lastly, don’t forget to defrost the turkey with time to spare!

What are your favorite Thanksgiving preparation tips? Does your family have any special traditions? Let us know in the comments!

Photo courtesy of tuchodi on Flickr

As the week careens into Thanksgiving, we were inspired and calmed by this article from the New York Times. The Thanksgiving feast is one of the highlights of the year, but it is difficult for the average home cook to put the turkey and side dishes on the table at the same time. One oven and four burners doesn’t go very far when you are roasting the turkey all day, boiling potatoes for mashed potatoes and cranberries for the cranberry sauce, steaming the green beans and baking the pumpkin pie. What’s a cook to do?

The best advice is to try and make as much stuff ahead of time as you can. The NYT has many great and easy recipes listed in this guide. Try them out and you’ll have plenty of time to get yourself ready and bask in your guests’ praise. Here’s a few of our favorite selections from “Things to Prepare Before the Turkey Goes in the Oven.”

• Cranberry-Orange Sauce
• Cranberry Polenta Cakes
• Zucchini Potato Pancakes
• Wild Rice Greek Salad
• Pears in Red Wine

Try some new recipes and get ready to relax and enjoy Thanksgiving!

Photo courtesy of bkwdayton on Flickr