What is the safest thing to do if the turkey is not thawed in time for thanksgiving?

We take ours out of the freezer about 4-5 days before we plan to cook it. Then as the big day gets closer, if it's still pretty solid, we sit it in a giant bowl of cold water. Keep changing the water every few hours (few times a day) and it will start defrosting a little quicker. You could also sit it in the sink and fill the sink with cold water if you don't have a bowl big enough.