Heading over to Aunt Edna's house to spend Thanksgiving with a dozen or so relatives you avoid the rest of the year is stressful enough. Having those same relatives over to your place for Turkey Day dinner adds a level of pressure that could make you want to shave your head, climb a tower and start hurling sweet potatoes at strangers.

In case you got roped into hosting the dinner this year - or even if you foolishly volunteered for the job - you're gonna need a plan to pull it off without a major catastrophe. Or your guests resorting to a call to Domino's.

For some advice on how to host a mob of hungry family and friends without a hitch, I called Jennifer Farrell, lifestyle expert and host of A&E's home improvement show, Find & Design. I figure if she can take flea market junk and turn it into designer-style decor, she can help us get through the big night easy, cheap, and relatively unscathed. Here are her suggestions:

Tip 1 - Don't Cook.
"Why even try to cook?" Jennifer says. Many experienced cooks couldn't handle all the cooking for a dinner party for a dozen people by themselves, let alone someone with marginal kitchen skills. So don't even bother. Jennifer suggests having it catered. Many restaurants, delis and even supermarkets offer complete Thanksgiving dinners at a reasonable price. "You call a couple days ahead, pick it up Thanksgiving morning, and put out this beautiful spread," she says. No mess, no stress, and no worry about burning the turkey or mangling the sweet potato casserole.

Tip 2 - Hire a Housekeeper for a Day
Call a local cleaning service and arrange to have someone come over the day before the party and clean. Really clean. "It costs about $60," Jennifer says, "and will save you thousands in therapy."

Tip 3 - Have a Plan
Now that you don't have to worry about cooking or cleaning, you can focus on making sure the holiday runs smoothly. And that means having a plan. Jennifer suggests counting the number of people who are coming, then adding a couple more to that. (Uncle Earl may show up with that new lady he's, um, "dating".) Better to have too much, than not enough.

"Get a mental floor plan of where everyone is going to go," Jennifer suggests. Ask yourself if you want to have a long table for everyone. Or several small tables. "Not everyone has to sit at a formal dining table, either," she adds. "Some people can sit around the coffee table."

You also have to figure out where the food is going to be placed. Rather than leaving it all in the kitchen, or in the center of an already crowded table, you may want to consider using another table as a buffet. "Thanksgiving dinner is usually 'family style'" Farrell says. "Guests are used to serving themselves." So let them. Just make sure they have a convenient, unobstructed place to do it.

Tip 4 - Assess Your Needs
Once you've determined the number of guests, and have figured out where they're all sitting, you need to make sure you have enough essentials: plates, napkins, glasses and utensils. You don't want to be washing wine glasses in the middle of dinner. Jennifer suggests taking the number of guests and adding a few extras for backup. If you're serving dessert that requires a fork or spoon, remember to add those onto the total as well. For example, for twelve people you may want to have 15 or 16 dinner plates and glasses, but have 30 forks and spoons on hand to cover both dinner and dessert.

Tip 5 - Gather the Essentials
After you figure out the amount of tools you need, count up what you already have on hand. Then you'll know how much to go out and get. If you're like most guys, you have exactly four of everything. Because that's how many came in the pack when you bought it Target. Jennifer's advice is to go to the discount stores to get whatever supplies you're shy. "Large discount stores and places like Big Lots! sell sets of silver for $10, plates for a couple of dollars." You can buy all your missing basics inexpensively. There's no excuse for making everyone eat off paper plates with plastic utensils.

Tip 6 - Decorate
You don't want your Thanksgiving dinner to look like chow time on the cell block. Spend some time - and a couple of bucks - on decorations. Simple things, like a nice tablecloth ("Not plastic, those are for picnics," notes Jennifer), and linen napkins with napkin rings, can make the difference between an ok table and an impressive table, one that'll make mom proud. Again, those discount stores can be your friend.

If you really want to up the Impression Factor, then go for some centerpieces. The easiest way? Call a florist. But you'll pay for it. A good alternative that's quick and inexpensive, is to head to the grocery store. "You'll find everything you need in the produce department," Jennifer says. "You'll find brightly colored gourds and squashes and pumpkins and apples and and corn. Put out groupings of these festive fall-colored foods in the center of the tables and you'll have very natural table decorations with a modern and homemade look." Another suggestion Jennifer has is to place a big, tall white pillar candle in the center of each table. Then ring the bottom with a circle of small pumpkins. "It's very simple, modern, clean and chic," she says.

Tip 7 - Timing is Everything
"As the master entertainer, it's your job to come up with a plan on how the day is going to go," Jennifer says. "Give your guests a specific time to arrive. Or a one hour window, say between 2:00 and 3:00. Then make sure you have drinks and some appetizers ready to go. Even just some cheese and crackers to snack on is better than having nothing. You don't want the early arrivers standing around drinkless and hungry."

Plan on having dinner ready to go about an hour-and-a-half to two hours after the first guests are expected to arrive. Just enough time for them to mingle and get relaxed, not too long that people start getting cranky.

Tip 8 - Don't Stress Too Much
Jennifer's final tip is to try to relax and not worry too much. "As long as everyone gets to be together to celebrate and eat good food, they'll be happy," she says. "You can't go wrong."

For more tips from Jennifer Farrell and info on her A&E show, Find & Design, visit her website JenniferFarrellDesign.com