With Thanksgiving in front of us and Christmas right around the corner, this time of year can become stressful for those dealing with fitting in to a new family.  I’ve heard way too many times that you aren’t just marrying your spouse at your wedding–your marrying their whole family!  Here are some links to help you deal with hosting or visiting the in-laws during the holidays:

-Associated Content offers this helpful article on hosting your parents or in-laws for Thanksgiving dinner.  Among them, make sure to include recipes from both sides of the family in your dinner so that they both feel equally honored.

-eHow.com has some steps for coping with meddling in-laws.  Remember, as hard as it may be, it’s always better to be the bigger person.  Respond accordingly!

-Distract your fellow family members with gifts!  Reader’s Digest has a list of gift ideas for the in-laws on their blog.

-Yahoo has a list of survival tips for the holidays.  At least one of these is sure to work.  If not, check out author Dina Koutas Poch’s book”I Heart My In-Laws…” for even more guidance.

-Finally, a personal tip: before you head out or have people over, make sure you and your significant other are on the same page.  You have to be able to support one another.  Isn’t that what marriage is all about?

Many of you are probably preparing for your first Thanksgiving as a couple.  If you’re lucky enough to be hosting the big day, you’ve scoured the Internet and your mom’s recipe book for the perfectly prepared turkey.  But, just in case you’re not quite sure you’ve got it right, here are a few tips to make sure your first Thanksgiving is a huge success!

Thanksgiving Dinner Invitation from Tiny Prints, Photo Courtesy of Hostess With the Mostess

-Take it from me–Pick and choose your dishes carefully. You may want to have everything from mashed potatoes to sweet potatoes to green beans to, well…you name it (I know, because I did).   But, if you go overboard, you’ll not only be overworked, you’ll be overstuffed!  Pick your favorite dishes and make them well.  You’ll be pleased that you did!

-Hit the grocery store early. Things DO sell out and the stores can be insane!  Have your menu prepared so you know exactly what to buy.

-When purchasing a turkey, the rule of thumb is to have 1 to 1 1/4 pounds of turkey per guest. If you are having a massive feast, try roasting two smaller birds.  Turkeys 12 pounds or less tend to be juicier and there’s less chance of overcooking.  Don’t forget to factor in leftovers!

-You will need 24 hours per 5 pounds of turkey to thaw. Make sure you set our your turkey with enough time to spare! For some great tips on thawing and cooking your turkey safely, visit Turkey Basics.

-Buy some pre-made items. No, I’m not kidding.  Why make an elaborate pumpkin pie when your local bakery probably can make it just as well, or maybe even better?  It will save you time and stress.

Do you have any tips on making Thanksgiving the best that it can be?

Whether you are cooking your first traditional Thanksgiving dinner, trying to impress your soon-to-be spouse with your culinary skills or you are just determined not to succumb to your mother-in-law’s dismally dry turkey, there’s no better time than the present to get started preparing yourself for a Thanksgiving feast.

Luckily enough, the almighty Martha Stewart has a wealth of videos online to help tame your kitchen nightmares. If you can’t bear the thought of sticking your hand inside a turkey (a common phobia among my friends!), consider making these adorable, ick-free turkeys instead!

Once you’ve mastered these recipes, make sure to order your stylish Thanksgiving party invitations from our parent site, Tiny Prints. As Martha would tell you, no event is complete without the perfect invitations!

With the first day of November looming at the end of the week, our staff here at Wedding Paper Divas has been gearing up for Thanksgiving with fabulous new ideas for decorations, posh fall parties and charming photo cards. We recently polled the Wedding Paper Divas staffers to find out their favorite Thanksgiving card designs from our parent site, Tiny Prints. Here’s what we think are the best Thanksgiving cards for couples, newlyweds and young families:

Looking for a way to liven up a traditional fall greeting card? Our staff thinks this design is the perfect way to give your autumn style a modern update. Beautiful, bold and full of bright blooms, this Tropical Autumn Photo Thanksgiving Card earned an impressive 44.4% of the vote.

Have an elegant holiday with this sophisticated Autumn Breeze Thanksgiving Photo Card! More than 38% of Wedding Paper Divas employees adore this card as a fabulous way to express your gratitude for all your friends and loved ones.

If you can’t find the perfect family photo for your holiday cards, send this chic Fall Forest Thanksgiving greeting card instead! Roughly 22% of our staffers thought these cute little trees offered the perfect taste of sweet fall style.

If you are anything like me, a lot changes when you get engaged.  You and your fiancee are no longer just “dating”–suddenly, you are en route to not only being your own family, but to joining both of your families together as one.  While it’s always great to expand your circle, it can also pose problems and force you to make decisions you’ve never even considered before.

One of the biggest issues comes up during the holidays.  Whether you are engaged or newly married, this is a tricky time for most couples, and can become even more problematic if you or your families live in different states. You are used to your family traditions, and your fiancee, his.  In addition, both sets of parents and siblings will most likely vie for your attention during the holidays.  To top it all off, you probably want to have a more personal holiday with your future husband or wife-to-be, but with all of the back-and-forth between families, you will find little time for that.

If you live out of state, a whole new set of problems emerges.  Which family do you stay with?  If your families live in different states, who do you visit for each holiday?  How do you achieve the privacy you’d like for Christmas if you are guests of one of your families?

There are the obvious solutions–alternating holidays between families, having an early Christmas of your own together, getting a hotel room instead of staying with one of your families, or staying at each parents’ house for half of your trip–but these don’t always work for every couple.

The bottom line is that you need to do what works for you.  Eventually, you will have kids of your own and will develop your own traditions.  Perhaps the best solution is one that we at Wedding Paper Divas can help you with–invite both sides of the family to YOUR house for a holiday celebration.  That way, you’re in control of the who, what, when and where, and everyone gets what they want!  To host your own holiday extravaganza, check out our Holiday Collection preview on parent-site Tiny Prints, like this Holiday martini Invitation:

So, you tell us:  What is the best solution for you and your honey?  How do you stay sane while balancing the demands of both families?