Many families have things they do every year during Thanksgiving. Having Thanksgiving traditions is what makes the holiday fun. Here are some traditions to start doing if you don’t have any or want new traditions.
Everyone does a few things during Thanksgiving: spend time with family or friends, festive tunes, an even tastier menu, and lots of pie. Beyond that, it’s up to you. Over the years, your family has likely developed some family traditions associated with Thanksgiving. All these Thanksgiving traditions will surely make you feel more grateful than ever.
- Write down what you’re thankful for- It can be easy to forget the true meaning of Thanksgiving, so take out pens before digging in and invite each guest to write what they’re thankful for on a piece of paper or cloth laid over the table.
- Watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade- Take part in one of the oldest Thanksgiving traditions, the first in 1924. The parade is filled with live musical performances, iconic giant balloons, decorated floats and an appearance from Santa. Macy’s will host their 97th annual parade at 9:00 AM this year. Why not watch from the comfort of your couch?
- Collect canned goods- Demonstrating gratitude by giving back on Thanksgiving is a great way to make other families happy. But instead of volunteering at a soup kitchen, why not invite your guests to bring canned food to donate?
- Watch a classic Holiday movie- Prevent turkey coma by gathering in front of the TV after dessert to watch a classic Thanksgiving movie together: pick the same movie every year or have fun letting a different family member choose the film each time.
- Organize an ornament exchange-Santa’s sleigh appears at the end of the Macy’s Parade, the festive holiday season officially begins. For those who celebrate Christmas, invite each Thanksgiving guest to bring an ornament to exchange to kick off the holidays.
- Host a Thanksgiving potluck- No need to spend hours solo in the kitchen. Everybody has their recipe, either passed down through generations or borrowed from friends. Get guests into the fun by inviting everybody to bring their best dish.
- Send guests home with leftovers- Thanksgiving dinner is the meal that keeps on giving- especially if you always end up with a huge amount of extra food. To avoid feeling overwhelmed by leftovers filling your fridge, send each guest home with a few leftovers. Ask each person to bring their container so you don’t spend the rest of the year chasing down yours.
- Go for a post-dinner walk- Walking together after dinner not only burns off all those gravy calories but allows you to slow down and savor the moment together- perfect for making room before returning home for dessert.
- Share family stories- Ask your older relatives to share a few of their favorite family stories. This activity fills the evening with laughter (and possibly tears) and creates deeper bonds that last long beyond the holidays.
- Break the wishbone. Before dinner, stash the turkey’s wishbone in a secret spot indoors or outdoors. Once you’re finished eating, send people in two teams to search for it. The team that finds the hidden wishbone gets to break it and can skip the line for dessert.
Here are some other thanksgiving traditions:
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/thanksgiving-traditions