The -ist List: Thanksgiving TV

Let's face it: If you're not cooking on Thanksgiving Day, there's not a whole lot to do (except, of course, when you're eating). Enter Thanksgiving TV, your best buddy for Turkey Day — and an essential part of your post-meal nap in your favorite recliner.

• Start Thanksgiving Day with three parades: the H-E-B Holiday Parade from downtown Houston, the Macy's parade from New York and the WLS Thanksgiving Day Parade from Chicago. The main difference between the parades will be that folks at ours will be wearing shorts and T-shirts, while our friends in New York and Chicago will be all bundled up — and, of course, you can wear whatever you want while you're plopped down in front of the TV. | Houston parade on KHOU; Macy's parade on KPRC; Chicago parade on KTRK, all beginning at 9 a.m.
• It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without football: There'll be the Miami Dolphins at the Detroit Lions around lunchtime and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Dallas Cowboys in the afternoon. By the time you finish watching both, dinner will be served. It's like magic! | Dophins at Lions: 11:30 a.m. on KHOU; Bucs at Cowboys: 3:30 p.m. on KRIV
• Need some last-minute inspiration for Thanksgiving dinner? Tune the kitchen TV to the Food Network and cook along with a morning full of back-to-back Thanksgiving specials. | All-Star Thanksgiving, 8:30 a.m.; Romancing the Bird: A Good Eats Thanksgiving, 10 a.m.; Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade Thanksgiving, 11 a.m.; Rachael Ray's Thanksgiving in 60, noon, all on the Food Network
• Elsewhere on the dial are a couple of classic movie marathons. On Spike, there's a day full of James Bond films, while Turner Classic Movies has wall-to-wall Doris Day. Wanna enjoy 'em more? Take a drink every time Doris Day or one of her co-stars hurls a double entendre, or whenever James Bond ... well, whenever he takes a drink. | all day on Spike and TCM
• Back to food: On the History Channel, check out the history of American food in two specials, American Eats: History on a Bun and More American Eats. You'll learn the origins of the chocolate chip cookie, the hoagie and the Big Mac and hear about culinary giants like Chef Boyardee (yes, he was a real person). | 'History on a Bun:' 1 p.m.; 'More American Eats:' 3 p.m., both on the History Channel
• And, of course, Thanksgiving is the official beginning of the slew of televised holiday movies, though you'll only find a trickle on Turkey Day itself: Love Actually at 4 p.m. on USA and the classic White Christmas at 6:30 p.m. on WGN. What, no It's a Wonderful Life? No Miracle on 34th Street? We're devastated — but at least A Charlie Brown Christmas is coming soon: 7 p.m. Tuesday on KTRK. Set the TiVo now.