All depends on the time and money you want to put into it. If you want the best of the best, you have to order a turkey in advance and will need to start prepping the bird 1 to 3 days before. If you just need to get a turkey on the table that is edible, then you can get one at the grocery store week of (it will be frozen and will take 2 or so days to defrost in fridge). You can also buy pre-made everything if you want the least amount of time involved. I've cooked Thanksgiving from 2 people to 40. I've ordered high end heritage breeds and cooked standard grocery store frozen birds. Ask away if you have any specifc questions. Time and money are the items you need to figure first.