A recent Jennie-O survey finds most Americans start planning their Thanksgiving meals up to two weeks in advance, long before the turkey ever goes in the oven. That alone says something: for most of us, the season’s real joy isn’t in the turkey at all, but in the anticipation of it.

The turkey may be the finale, but the real heart of Thanksgiving lives in the days of prep, planning and connection. Photo credit: Pexels.

Thanksgiving is often treated as a single, high-stakes performance: the carving, the seating, the grand meal. But the real magic happens earlier, in the messy, beautiful days that precede it. The grocery runs, test pies, playlists and small gatherings all build toward something bigger.

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