Our procrastinator's guide to a successful Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is this Thursday. Are you ready?

If not, never fear. Here are all the resources you need to make this Thanksgiving a success! 

Thanksgiving Eve happy hours

On Thanksgiving Eve bars will be packed with people home for the holidays and looking to raise a glass with some old friends and classmates. Here are five happy hours you should know about before one of the biggest party nights of the year.

More: Five North Jersey happy hours to hit to celebrate Thanksgiving Eve

Restaurants open on Turkey Day

It may be tricky to get a reservation this close to Thanksgiving, but if cooking on Turkey Day isn't your thing, here's a list of restaurants that will be open and serving special meals on Thanksgiving. This story is for subscribers only.

What's open?:These North Jersey restaurants are open on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving hacks

Holiday burnout is more common than you may think. Between prepping the big feast, making sure your family behaves and trying not to burn the bird, you may be feeling overwhelmed.

Are you too tired for Thanksgiving?:Join the club, then follow these hacks

Fresh turkeys

Not keen on frozen turkey? These North Jersey spots can supply you with a fresh bird for your table. This story is for subscribers only.

Fresh turkey:Where to buy one in New Jersey and beyond

The deal with free turkeys

For those very keen on frozen turkey, in particular, free frozen turkey, this one's for you. We explore why many homemakers haven't spent a penny for turkey. This story is for subscribers only.

A new-ish Thanksgiving tradition:The cult of the free, frozen ShopRite turkey

Thanksgiving 101

If you're hosting your first Thanksgiving, this list is for you: helpful tips to avoid kitchen disasters.

Oh no! You've burned the bird!:Last-minute kitchen tips to avoid Thanksgiving disasters

Cheers!

Picking a wine that goes perfectly with your Thanksgiving meal is a special art that, frankly, not all of us have. So, we asked some experts.

More:A guide to nailing wine and beer selections for Thanksgiving dinner

Thanksgiving take-out

You can cook, you can eat out, or -- in this glorious age of delivery -- you can get your entire Thanksgiving dinner made and brought to your house. Here are a few services that provide Thanksgiving dinners.

More:Don't want to cook this Thanksgiving? 6 restaurants that will do the work for you

Recipes galore

Sure, you probably have your Thanksgiving recipes down pat. Why fix what isn't broken? We'll tell you why: introducing new dishes to your meal will surprise your guests and potentially start a delicious new mainstay at the Thanksgiving table.

Recipes we love:Mix up the old routine this Thanksgiving with recipes our reporters love

Or, maybe you have a new-found vegetarian in the family and need some guidance. In which case, may we recommend this bit of wisdom?

Veg feast:Your recipe to a vegetarian Thanksgiving

Macy's mania

New Jerseyans are just a quick trip away to one of the most spectacular parades of the year. Here's what you need to know about this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

What to know:Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2019

Sneak peek:A sneak peek at five new floats to debut at Thanksgiving Day Parade

A very NJ Thanksgiving

Turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing — these are all staples. But we live in the garden state, and there are plenty of ways to work New Jersey's bounty into your Thanksgiving spread.

Thanksgiving in NJ:Give your table a local touch with these Garden State foods

International Thanksgiving

Every year we like to honor the different ways North Jerseyans celebrate Thanksgiving, with so many people from different reaches of the world that bring their own culture's dishes to the table on Thanksgiving. This story is for subscribers only.

Around the world:7 international recipes to elevate your Thanksgiving dinner spread

Table talk

If you think the political squabbles at this year's Thanksgiving will be bad, you should see what they were fighting over on the first Thanksgiving in history.

More:How can we celebrate Thanksgiving when we're so divided? Well, that was the whole point

Jive Turkey

Pop on this playlist for some lovely background music while you chow down.

Thanksgiving in North Jersey, a playlist by northjersey.com on Spotify

Decadent desserts

Pies are tricky to make correctly, and why bother when there are so many amazing pie shops in North Jersey? Scroll through this list, gaze upon these glistening, perfectly baked pies and desserts, and suddenly saving room for dessert will become a top priority. 

Beyond pumpkin pie:North Jersey's best desserts for Thanksgiving

Sensational reads 

It's important to take some time for yourself this time of year. Here are a few fun, interesting and heart-warming reads we recommend for your downtime.

More:Readers share family traditions that bring new meaning to Thanksgiving

Sin of skin:Thanksgiving peel n' eat guilty pleasure

For Thanksgiving:Here's some stuff about stuffing

We remember Dorcas Reilly:The Jersey woman who created green bean casserole

Tradition:Recreating a lost loved one's traditional holiday recipes

Holiday bars

The minute the clock strikes midnight on the 29th, all the humbuggers out there can officially quit their whining about Christmas being celebrated too early. Those eager to ring in the season can head to these bars sporting holiday pop-ups.

A Christmas 'miracle':Holiday pop-ups coming to bars in Nutley, Morristown and more

Rebecca King is a food writer for NorthJersey.com. For more on where to dine and drink, please subscribe today and sign up for our North Jersey Eats newsletter.

Email: kingr@northjersey.com Twitter: @rebeccakingnj  Instagram: @northjerseyeats