The Best Thanksgiving Traditions Your Family Will Love!
Thanksgiving is the second largest and most popular holiday in the United States after Christmas and marks the beginning of the holiday season, my favorite time of year. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays for many reasons. Not only could I eat roasted turkey with mashed potatoes and gravy all year long because it’s my favorite meal, but Thanksgiving is also around my birthday.
Thanksgiving is celebrated on the 4th Thursday of November every year, and I celebrate my birthday on the 25th of November. Fun fact about me: my birthday falls on the same day as Thanksgiving every three years.
Thanksgiving has always been a special holiday for me, as I am sure it is for many people. It is a day filled with family bonding, food, and fun. No matter how distant families are all year long, Thanksgiving gives us a chance to reconnect with our loved ones and reminds us of how blessed we are.
Also read: 70 Family-Friendly Things To Do In The Fall
Growing up, I looked forward to spending time with my family, particularly my sisters and dad.
On Thanksgiving day, my sisters and I would look forward to our dad taking the day off from work and spending the whole day with us in the house. Some years he could be home with us the entire day, and other years he had to go to work and could only spend the morning with us.
When he had to work, my sisters and I would gather in the kitchen to cook a big feast with most, if not all, of our favorite dishes. We just had to make sure that we ate earlier in the day so that our dad would have a chance to enjoy the Thanksgiving meal with us.
My dad would always bless the food, and we would all share what we were grateful for; that was my family tradition growing up.
Now that I have my own family and children, I look forward to starting my family traditions this year that will create memories that will last a lifetime for my children. Especially now that two of my kids are old enough to remember these meaningful occasions.
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19 Exciting Thanksgiving Traditions to Start With Your Family This Year
1) Start each day in November with something you are grateful for:
Start the month of Thanksgiving with a positive and thankful heart. Start each morning with something that you are grateful for.
2) Host a big Thanksgiving breakfast:
Thanksgiving dinner won’t be for a few hours. Starting the day with a Thanksgiving breakfast feast is a smart way to keep everyone from snacking and ruining their appetite.
3) Do a Thanksgiving scavenger hunt:
After the big Thanksgiving breakfast, getting outside and going on a nature walk as a family is another great way to bond with your family. Make this family walk extra memorable by doing a Thanksgiving scavenger hunt. Something exciting is bound to happen!
4) Watch the Macy’s Day parade on television:
The Macy’s Day parade is the largest and most famous Thanksgiving parade dating as far back as 1924. Every year, millions of Americans tune in to this Thanksgiving Day Parade, which includes marching bands, floats, songs and performances from famous musicians and celebrities, and giant balloons! It is an American tradition to watch the very festive Macy’s Day parade, which takes place in New York City. Since the parade usually starts in the morning, you can watch it while you cook.
5) Make a Thanksgiving centerpiece:
On the eve of Thanksgiving, get creative and make your DIY centerpiece using leaves, pinecones, acorns, dried corn, pumpkins, dried flowers, feathers, and anything else that will add beauty and uniqueness to the table.
6) Cook a traditional Thanksgiving feast:
Thanksgiving happens only once a year. I mean, yeah, technically, you can eat whatever food you want, but what’s the point of Thanksgiving if you’re not going to go all out on the traditional dishes? So yes, indulge in the turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, corn, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, ham, mac and cheese, and collard greens. And for dessert, top it off with pumpkin, sweet potato, apple, and pecan pie!
7) Express gratitude:
Use the month of November to express gratitude for your family. Write a note to each family member of your family telling them why you are grateful for them.
8) Make a thankful jar:
- Have everyone in your family, guests included.
- Write down what they are grateful for.
- Put them in a jar.
- Read them after dinner.
9) Perform an act of Kindness:
Deliver a goodie basket to a neighbor or donate unused winter hats, jackets, clothes, gloves, or socks to a homeless shelter.
10) Prayer:
Start the day with prayer before eating breakfast, say grace before eating the Thanksgiving feast, and end the night with a prayer expressing gratitude to God for the eventful and festive day.
11) Give back to your community:
Give back to your community by volunteering at a local shelter or soup kitchen. This gives you a chance to make a difference and meet new people. You don’t have to volunteer on Thanksgiving eve or the day of, maybe during the week of Thanksgiving, whatever works for you and your family.
12) Watch a football game:
Football is a big part of the Thanksgiving celebration. Most families usually watch the football game on television, but you can also head out to the backyard with your family to play a fun football game before or after dinner.
13) Have a family game night:
Have a family game night by playing dominos and UNOS. My daughter loves to play Go Fish, and my sisters and I don’t do well with Monopoly (LOL).
14) Make a DIY Thanksgiving wreath:
Decorate your front door for the season by making a DIY Thanksgiving wreath. The kids always have a blast with DIY projects.
15) Take a group photo of those in attendance:
It’s always good to reminisce on the previous years. Take it a step further and make a holiday album so you can pass it around every year.
16) Read Bible verses about being Thankful throughout November:
Tis’ the season to pull out those gratitude verses from the Bible to remind us of how blessed we are.
17) Make plans for Black Friday:
Black is when most people get their Christmas shopping done because of the huge discounts that stores offer on products like clothing, electronics, and household appliances. That’s why you find people waiting hours in line! If you’re participating in Black Friday, it’s a good idea to plan how you’ll get the items you need without having to wait hours in life.
18) Decorate for Christmas:
Don’t wait another day to put up the Christmas decorations. This is the perfect time to put the Christmas decorations with extra helpers you have around.
You can also put up the Christmas lights the day before and do a big reveal the night of Thanksgiving.
19) Watch a movie:
End the night with a Thanksgiving or Christmas movie. You can’t go wrong either way. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving or the Home Alone collection are all great options.
Final thoughts on Thanksgiving Traditions:
I am really excited to start these exciting family traditions. I look forward to making lots of memories with my family, especially my kids. They are why I was encouraged to incorporate these traditions into our family Thanksgiving celebration.
19 Exciting Thanksgiving Traditions to Start With Your Family This Year!
