Good morning. Please return your seat backs and tray tables to their upright positions. Make sure your belts are snug. We’ve begun our initial descent into Thanksgiving International Airport.

Some words of advice, not for the hard landing, but for the day that’s coming, the feast itself, the long hours of fellowship with family and friends, the unexpected issues (man, it looks like it’s going to be cold here in the northeast tomorrow!), the guests who arrive early or late, the turkey cooking too slowly, too fast: Everything is going to be all right. Thanksgiving is what it is. Just breathe and let the holiday wash over you. Do your best with love and intention and nothing will be less than exceptional, I promise.

As a corollary, an obvious note that too many ignore: Listen more than you talk. Thanksgiving is not the day to litigate whatever it is that Uncle Pete has come to believe about the government, or that you have come to believe about rural life or social media or organized religion or millennial behavior or boomer retirements or celiac disease. Just hear people out, smile, say: Tell me more. Then reflect on all that you have to be thankful for in this life, even if it’s just a steady job and a big, dumb dog. Have a second slice of apple ombré pie (above).

Other notes in advance of tomorrow: You’ve defrosted the bird, yes? And either you’ve brined it or salted it well and placed it in the refrigerator to dry overnight? Also, you’ve moved your pie doughs from freezer to fridge? You could bake tonight. You could cut up bread tonight for a freestyle stuffing (that’s your no-recipe recipe for the week) or make your cranberry sauce. You could prep vegetables for use in the morning. Me, I’ll cook some sweet potatoes, in advance of finishing them tomorrow as sweet potatoes aligot.