1. Plan Ahead
Planning ahead is a strategy that is important for anything, be it school, work, or an oncoming holiday. Take, for example, how advantageous planning ahead for retirement really is. If you can get the picture, then that's exactly how advantageous it will be for you to prepare for this particular undertaking. Planning ahead, in this case, could involve preparing and freezing a large batch of the food you intend to serve come that day. The trick here is to choose meals that can be easily reheated, such as hearty stews, cranberry sauce, casseroles, pies, etc.
Another way you could plan ahead is to let some of your closest family members or friends know that they are free to bring things. Be sure, however, to ask them to let you know exactly what they intend to bring at least three days before Thanksgiving.
By encouraging a potluck, you don't have to make everything you could make the turkey and gravy as someone else prepares the mashed potatoes, and another one makes the pie and whipped cream. There's also absolutely nothing wrong with buying a few things - if you can't make a good pie and you know of a great bakery that does, why not order some? The same case applies to rolls, gravy, and any other food item you would really like help with.
Even as you look forward to receiving some contributions from your guests, don't be ashamed to ask for help from your family members and any guests who might be staying with you at the moment. Remember that food isn't the only thing that needs prepping, there's probably a lot of cleaning that needs to be done too. Cleaning should ideally be done a week before, and while you are at it, don't forget to double-check if you have enough utensils, napkins, and other essentials.