It’s not my first, but I have done turkey for 2 (and now 3) a few times when we haven’t travelled to family.
We always prep veggies etc on 24th, as a family. It’s the start of the proper slowdown for us. So peel potatoes and soak in a pot of water, peel and slice carrots for plastic tub of water, peel and slice parsnips for plastic tub with no water (or they get slime), onions and garlic in another no water tub, sprouts in another tub with water etc. And make the breadcrumbs (if not already made and frozen, in which case - thaw), and then make the stuffing. And soften lots of butter and mix in garlic and chopped herbs and lemon zest to rub under the skin of turkey next day before cooking (leave it out to stay soft and let flavours mix). Last year we also brined the turkey (left it sitting overnight in a large (large!) bucket of salty, spiced/seasoned water to help keep it moist.
Remember turkey (and all roasted meats) likes some time to rest after cooking to taste at its best. So I take it out an hour before I want to eat (when it’s already fully cooked), cover with a sheet of tin foil Completely covering the bird, and then layer a couple of clean bath towels over the top as a blanket to keep it hot. It can the. Sit on the side resting while I cook the rest. So I’ll have just parboiled the potatoes for when turkey comes out of the oven, toss them in fat (goose is nice but olive oil/butter are perfect) and put them in. Then the veg for roasting goes in about 20 minutes later. And I do my sprouts and gravy both on the hob.
If cooking big for a smaller number than usual, think about what YOU all really want - does everyone want all the sides (and do you feel like making them?!), in which case you only need small amounts of everything. But if there are only 2 specific things that your group likes and most of the others are favourites of Great Aunty Jean and 3rd Cousin Rupert etc, only make those 2 specific things.
Use what you have - a jug is fine to serve gravy, large cereal bowls for serving veggies etc.
I agree with working backwards on timings - and don’t panic if things run slow. We don’t have starters for that reason - we put out some M&S party food to nibble on while we’re opening presents as the turkey cooks etc,
And get everyone in the house involved - peeling veg, making specific parts or doing duty checking things or turning on potatoes to boil at the right time etc. smallies can pass veg from fridge or cupboard and pots from drawers etc early on before things get hot and busy. Main cook is not the washer-upper.
Having a sink of hot sudsy water as you work is helpful to wash as you go to keep surfaces clean and usable. Especially if you might need to reuse a pot or utensil later on in the process. But having space to work is really helpful.
Lots of aprons, oven gloves, tea towels and cloths to wipe surfaces help. Especially if you can hand a towel to someone in passing to dry the dishes you have washed as you’ve gone along - to put them away and make space for the next batch, before that person then goes and refills the chef’s drink.
After you stuff turkey and get that into the oven, do a proper clean down of surfaces with cleaning spray before starting anything else. (Prevents cross contamination).
If you’re worried, buy in things pre-prepared. But it’s not too difficult to do yourself if you have thought about it ahead of time.
We tend to eat late afternoon (5ish), having gone out to church and to visit a relative for a drink in the morning, which means we can relax over the cooking once we are home I’m the early afternoon. But it doesn’t go too late so we’re starving (or dd needed to be in bed when she was younger).