20 Unique Thanksgiving Traditions to Start With Your Family This Year
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Every Thanksgiving turkey feast must have a few essential elements: a gleaming roast turkey with stuffing (or dressing, depending on your background), mashed potatoes with gravy, pumpkin pie with lots of whipped cream for dessert, and more than likely, lots of supporting side dishes to really round out the meal. And if your family is anything like mine, you’ve probably got at least a couple of traditions that really make the occasion special.
For many of us, Thanksgiving marks one of the few times all year when we can get together with our families or chosen families to share a delicious meal, give thanks for our good fortune, and just bask in each other’s company without gifts or other events stealing the spotlight from the beloved faces around the table. Over the years, many families and groups of friends develop their own special Thanksgiving traditions. Those often range from goofy to touching, food-focused to getting away from the table, athletic to relaxing — and most require few to no additional materials or effort other than everyone’s enthusiasm. We asked the Good Housekeeping staff and a few friends to share their favorite Thanksgiving moments, in case you’re interested in adapting them as part of your own celebration.
Get the little ones involved in the preparations by having them set the table for dinner while the adults are busy finishing up the food. It’s a triple whammy: They’ll be proud that they could contribute to the festivities, learn the importance of chipping in, and stay out of trouble while you’re distracted by the stove.
Families that only see each other once a year, this one’s for you. Emma Seymour of the Good Housekeeping textiles lab says her family sings Happy Birthday when they gather for Thanksgiving — cake with candles included! That way, everyone gets to celebrate their birthday with those they love, even if they can’t travel to be together on the actual day.
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On Thanksgiving, pay your blessings forward, suggests Rhythms of Play. Volunteer at a local soup kitchen, food pantry, or at any organization serving food to those why may otherwise go without. Those organizations always appreciate a few extra helping hands to make sure everyone gets fed, especially on a holiday. Call ahead to make sure they can accommodate you, and get any special instructions.
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Sign up for a turkey trot to get some exercise before digging into the bird. The oldest known Turkey Trot footrace took place in Buffalo, NY in 1896, and that one’s still one of the largest in the country. My dad and I do it every year I’m in town, and it always starts the day off on a good foot. For even more fun, dress up in silly costumes and laugh all the way to the finish line.
Good Housekeeping‘s senior editor Allie Early’s family serves up fond memories with their turkey. “We make a coleslaw recipe that my grandmother always made for my mom and her siblings, and we serve it in a special bowl that she passed down to my mom,” Early says. “It’s a special way to remember my grandma when we’re all together!”
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Draw your thanks on the tablecloth for a keepsake that’s also an activity, suggests Red Tricycle. Cover the table with a white tablecloth and place cloth markers on the table. Ask your guests to draw what they’re thankful for or even something fun — like their favorite Thanksgiving memory. By the time the dishes are cleared, you’ll have a reusable memento that may soon become the centerpiece of your celebration.
If your family eats Thanksgiving dinner a little on the later side, starting the day with a big breakfast can help keep the hangries at bay. Some families serve mimosas to set the festive mood, others set out bagels and sweet breads so everyone can nosh while they prep. Or maybe you’re more of a quiche and egg casserole crew. Whatever your breakfast style, there’s a reason it’s the most important meal of the day.
For Good Housekeeping‘s product & reviews editor Jessica Teich, Thanksgiving just wouldn’t be the same without one dish. “My significant other’s family always puts out a giant plate of pickles with dinner. They swear it helps with digestion,” she says. “I used the think it was the weirdest thing and now I think Thanksgiving dinner is incomplete without it!” There’s some evidence that pickles really do help gut health, plus they’re just delicious.
Lots of people start their Thanksgiving by tuning in to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and often flip the channel to a football game when it’s over. But if you’re not a sports person, there’s always the National Dog Show. It airs after the parade on NBC and will probably result in less yelling than the big game. That is, unless your family members have strong feelings on Daschunds vs Labradors.
For a new tradition this Thanksgiving, have the younger guests to serve dessert. Kids sometimes feel left out of the big day, especially if your family puts a kids’ table away from the rest of the group. Ask the older children to help cut slices of pie or cake to give to the younger ones to serve. Bonus: this way, the adults get to relax a little longer!
A traditional cornucopia is usually filled with the autumn harvest, seasonal plants and flowers, to show off that season’s bounty. Put your own spin on it by asking your guests to bring objects that are meaningful to them, suggests Donelle Crigger of Gluesticks and Gumdrops. Place them in a cornucopia or a basket and use it as the centerpiece for your table as a visual reminder of what matters to those around the table.
Many families wouldn’t dare pit grandma’s stuffing recipe against the store-bought kind, others swear by it. Good Housekeeping‘s parenting and relationships editor Marisa LaScala has a great compromise. “A couple days before Thanksgiving, we go to the deli and get sliced turkey and make Stove-Top-and-turkey sandwiches to indulge our guilty pleasure,” she says. If you’ve got your own secret fav, enjoy it a few days before or after the big day, to avoid stirring the pot.
When you first carve the turkey, set aside the wishbone to dry while everyone eats. After the dishes are done, draw names to decide who gets to break it. Make a wish — legend has it the winner will see it come true in the coming year. For a fun twist, let the winner skip the line for dessert!
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Get your blood moving after you eat for a new tradition that’s good for you. Bundle up if you live in a cold climate and bring some flashlights if it’s after dusk and take a lap around the block. Going for a stroll gives the crew more time to chat than turning on the tube, too.
With all of the hustle and bustle of cleaning the house, prepping and cooking the meal, then spending time with your guests, even the most dedicated extroverts may feel a little drained. Refill your tank by taking even a few moments of me time before the festivities begin. You’ll enjoy all of the excitement that much more.
Thanks to the wonders of technology, even the furthest flung loved ones can join in on the festivities. Take some time before or after you eat to video call those who can’t make it to the table, so they’ll feel like they’re there. And while you’ve got the whole fam gathered ’round, take a photo to commemorate the occasion.
Is there anything more frustrating than running out of to-go containers when it’s time to pack up the meal? Prevent that problem by asking each guest to bring their own container for leftovers. You won’t have to spend the rest of the year chasing down yours, and everyone goes home happy.
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If you tend to fly solo on Thanksgiving or mark the occasion with a smaller group, try taking a Thanksgiving family vacation for fewer crowds and a fun new tradition. You can book a big family dinner at many resorts and destinations, and make memories that last a lifetime.
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