Entertaining ideas for this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and preparing for the big day can be stressful. Home entertaining consultant and author Cheryl Najafi, of CherylStyle , gave us some tips on how to put together a great Thanksgiving, without biting off more than you can chew.

A huge stress for Thanksgiving is dividing up foods guests should bring and how to make the tupperware they bring it in look nice on the table. A great way to reduce the anxiety, Najafi says, is to create a "pot luck" e-mail, where you make a Google document or Excel spread sheet where you type in people's names and what foods they will be bringing. This way Uncle Joe knows he is taking out the trash and Aunt Joyce can show off her apple pie! As for switching from tupperware to table, Najafi suggests keeping a lot of extra plates on hand. This way you can easily plate the food beautifully. Add some fresh herbs for garish and ta-da...you have a gourmet looking meal.

Now, what to do with leftovers and family members splitting time between households? Najafi's solution: a movie-themed cocktail party called "Turkey, Take 2." The excited buzz begins when your A-list guests receive a clever invitation that promises an unbeatable combo-a 'second meal' cocktail party followed by a movie. As guests arrive, they receive the red carpet treatment as the hostess, wearing a director's beret, captures their grand entrance on video. Critics give two thumbs up to this party's bountiful buffet that turns Thanksgiving leftovers (usually a boring rerun) into a stunning sequel, she says.

Using these tips will make you thankful you choose to have Thanksgiving at your house!

You can find more party ideas and planning tips on CherylStyle.com .