Martha Stewart, known as the "Queen of Thanksgiving," has some surprising plans for the holiday this year.
In an appearance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show," Stewart revealed she had "canceled" the Thanksgiving dinner she'd been planning to host because several of her guests were backing out – and also because she's already "turkeyed out."
"I gave up Thanksgiving," she admitted when Clarkson asked her if she had any special plans. "Nine guests canceled because somebody got sick, so I called up my chef friend and said, ‘We’re not doing Thanksgiving.'"
She added, "And I've also cooked up 14 turkeys already for my TV show."
"You've kind of done it," Clarkson told her.
Stewart agreed and said she still had to cook a 15th turkey for an appearance on another talk show.
"I am turkeyed out," she said.
Instead of hosting a dinner herself, she shared that her new plan is to "go to about five different homes" of friends to "taste different courses."
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"Those friends must be so stressed out," Clarkson noted, and Stewart laughed and said, "I hope so."
The lifestyle guru has been tied to the holiday for several years – last year, she was crowned the Thanksgiving queen during an appearance on the "Today" show. She was given a sash with the title, as well as a scepter.
At the time of her appearance, there had been a lot of talk about Mariah Carey being the Christmas queen with her iconic holiday hit, "All I Want for Christmas Is You."
"I do believe that Thanksgiving is a very important time of year, and despite all other ideas that, you know, we skip over Thanksgiving, you never, never can. Here’s to our pioneers!" Stewart said upon being crowned.
She added, "And to Mariah, I still love you!"
In 2020, she said in another appearance on "Today" that she'd cooked "60 Thanksgivings, at least, maybe more" in her lifetime.
"‘Cause I got married when I was 19, and I did my first Thanksgiving… when I was 20 years old," she explained.
Although Stewart is putting a pause on the tradition this year, she's shared plenty of tips in the past about how to prepare a proper dinner.
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Last year, she released a holiday edition of her digital publication Martha-logue, and there she went into detail about how to pick the "perfect turkey." She advised readers to go for a "free-range, hormone-free turkey" and to "order it well in advance," and for the size, she suggested having 1.5 pounds of turkey for every guest.
"Read your recipe well before you make it," she advised, so that all the ingredients and tools will be available when it's time to cook.
In an interview for Williams Sonoma, Stewart again pushed the idea of being prepared, this time specifically when it comes to meal prepping. She said, "On Thanksgiving, you’re largely roasting or reheating, not chopping, measuring – and missing out on quality time with your newly minted sister-in-law or parents!"
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For decorations, she advised, "Floral décor always looks beautiful in the cozy colors of fall. Buy a variety of pumpkins, gourds and cut flowers ahead of time. Create your arrangements up to two days in advance and keep them refrigerated."
A final tip she shared was to have prepared slices of pie to send home with guests. "Garnish with sprigs of wheat, dried or faux berries, and raffia," she suggested. "And don’t forget the fork."
In a 2018 interview with Parade, she told readers, "Serving buffet style when hosting a big gathering is most practical and setting a beautiful and impressive buffet is easier than you think."
For those welcoming overnight guests, she offered, "A room for your holiday guests should be well-outfitted for their comfort. Choose high-quality cotton or cozy flannel sheets, a plush comforter and sets of fluffy towels. Don’t forget to leave a warm throw on the bed for afternoon naps."
