I'm so happy to see such a thread, already. I am ready for summer to be OVER and autumn is my favorite time of the year. I don't have to do much planning for Thanksgiving, though.
We really enjoy tradition here, so our Thanksgiving is probably quite boring from a foodie point of view. However, I use my foodie skills to cook gourmet meals all throughout the year, experiment often, and Thanksgiving is our one meal each year that sticks to tradition with little variation. The star is a simple turkey (butter, salt, pepper, no brining) that I have been told by at least 20 people is the most tender, succulent and delicious turkey they have ever tasted. (The key is what a pp mentioned... roasting breast-side down until crisping the skin... a quality bird will shine through on its own.)
The sides for the entree are traditional American sides. Dh is an Armenian from Turkey (really), and in typical Turkish holiday dining fashion, we go slowly with the courses, starting early, and eating the entree/sides quite late in the day... dessert in the evening.
We'll usually start eating warm mezes (appetizers) around 2pm. Then we have cold mezes, which include salads and sometimes cheese, a soup (not too hearty) , then we have the entree with sides and finally dessert. Sides are typical: dressing, parslied potatoes, roasted carrots/parsnips, something new, and of course homemade yeast rolls. Dessert is almost always pumpkin pie and we eat it about 7pm. We pair these courses with wines (often the same ones year to year) and it's quite a gluttonous bacchanalia.

(Just kidding... we enjoy the food and wine but don't go overboard usually.) But very traditional, once a year, and it's always the same. Wouldn't change a thing. Every family needs at least one solid tradition.