Cookie Laurita Rooney is the second of 11 children. She knows from big Thanksgivings.

She is also catering director for her sister Dina Manzo’s HGTV event-planning show, "Dina’s Party," which means she knows how to create the appropriate party for any crowd.

Manzo, of course, used to be on "Real Housewives of New Jersey" with her sister Caroline Manzo and sister-in-law Jacqueline Laurita.

Rooney’s personal and professional experience made her the perfect person to go to for holiday hosting issues. So with the help of the Franklin Lakes resident, we’ve broken down how to approach Thanksgiving Day while hosting three very different groups of guests.

This is where Rooney really has plenty of personal experience. Although her family does not have a ton of little kids right now, the clan certainly had a houseful in the past, when 40 or 50 people would sit down for Thanksgiving dinner each year.

If you’ve got a group with a lot of youngsters, the first decision to make is always: kid table, or no kid table.

"When we grew up, we hated being at the kids’ table, so we tend to include the kids," Rooney says.

And just how do you keep the kids in line during a very long meal?

"We were trained on ‘The Look,’ " she says with a laugh, referring to the warning stare adults would turn on unruly children down the table. "So the trick is to master ‘The Look.’ "

Hosts must have the right attitude as well. Give up on the idea of a proper, formal meal; think family and kids. Be realistic. Forks may hit the floor or something might spill, but that’s all part of the fun.

Rooney’s tips:

* Think ahead. A few days before the event, have the kids make something you can incorporate into the table decorations — or ask them to help with the baking — so they feel like they are a part of the meal.

* Eat no later than 3 p.m.

* Consider letting the youngest children eat by themselves earlier.

* Make sure the table has something the kids like to eat.

* Include the children that day by letting them do some final table setting, pass around hors d’oeuvres or call people to the table.

Rooney says hosts shouldn’t ignore their guests’ desire to watch a game or two on Thanksgiving Day. Football must be a consideration if there are fans in the house.

"With six brothers and a bunch of nieces and nephews — I have two nieces who are obsessed with football — you have to consider it," she says. "That’s part of the holiday."

There are three NFL games on Thanksgiving — at 12:30, 4:15 and 8:20. An obsessed fan can watch football from 12:30 to midnight with only an hour or so without a game. This year, though, the biggest and best game is definitely the 12:30 matchup between the Packers and Lions. Knowing this, time dinner for after that first game — around 4 p.m. If people are interested in the Cowboys-Dolphins game that starts at 4:15, they can probably catch the second half during a break between dinner and dessert.

If a guest or two is upset about missing any moment of the action, set the DVR and let folks watch later.

Rooney’s tips:

* Eat after the first game, which isn’t that far from the typical time for the Thanksgiving meal.

* Embrace the games. It’s part of the Thanksgiving tradition, like watching the Macy’s Parade.

* Put out appetizers or a tray of antipasto during the first game.

* Don’t stress about people filling up before dinner — that just means more leftovers.

An all-adult guest list of a manageable number of people can give a host a little more creative leeway. Think sophisticated, but not necessarily formal.

"Do traditional in non-traditional ways," Rooney says. "With adults, it’s nicer to make it more fun."

Minus the chaos and attention demands of a houseful of kids, stretch out the day by lingering over hors d’oeuvres and sparkling wine or a signature cocktail (like the Lava Lamp on Page 3), before sitting down to dinner.

Other experts suggest serving a stuffed turkey breast — instead of a whole roast turkey — with a couple of well-chosen accompaniments. For a fun twist on tradition, think about baking individual portions of stuffing in muffin tins.

Rooney’s tips:

* Do drinks and appetizers.

* Make your event a simpler dinner without as many side dishes.

* Offer a dessert tasting instead of full desserts, with a variety of treats such as miniature pies.