Thanksgiving meals only require 5 a.m. wake-ups if you refuse to make any dishes ahead of the big day. Minimalist food writer Mark Bittman and others suggest lots of stuff you can make many days ahead of time.
Bittman's done these kind of simple meal round-ups before—including the 20-minute appetizers that might also help out with hosting duties—but these suggestions don't rely on the dishes being "quick"—just simple to execute, and able to hold for a few days before your guests arrive. The other benefit involves almost all of them being served at room temperature, and cooked at the same temperature (375 Fahrenheit) in an oven.
In a related post, Slashfood quizzes Thanksgiving hosts with a week-ahead checklist of things to prepare for, like checking in on guests and their dish plans and buying your food now, since it'll keep. Finally, my friend at the Buffalo News suggests which classic sides can be made ahead of time and offers a few gourmet-level side dish challenges, also intended for pre-holiday cooking.
The Minimalist - Things to Prepare Before the Turkey Goes in the Oven [NYTimes.com]
Thanksgiving Prep - Nine Days to Go [Slashfood]