Creating New Thanksgiving Traditions for All
By Steffen Klenk
Thanksgiving is a joyous time to be surrounded by those we love. Families will spend the day attending or participating in football games, watching the parade on TV and sitting down to a festive dinner. With more than 54 million people driving across the country this weekend, this is a great holiday for family to share fun activities. Here are several ideas to consider.
There are many ways to express your appreciation. Get together with your family and open up “A Little Box of Gratitude.” This fun-filled card game allows you and your guests to express gratitude based on different prompts. Everyone can either share their own thoughts or throw the cards into a hat to guess who said what.
In bowling, getting three strikes in a row is considered a turkey, but have you ever heard of turkey bowling? A kid friendly version consists of using large plastic Dixie cups. Draw or glue eyes on the front of the cup and tape feathers to the back. The “bowling ball” can consist of a small pumpkin leftover from Halloween, a small football, or any similar object.
Pin the Tail on the Donkey is a classic party game that has been played in many variations. This popular activity has been adapted for Thanksgiving. Gather the family for a game of “Pin the Feather on the Turkey.” Take a picture of a turkey, or create your own using paper or cardboard box, googly eyes and feathers, and hang it on a wall. The game can be played both indoors and outside. Add difficulty for older members, such as an extra spin before being pointed in the direction of the turkey.
The dinner table is where most of us will be socializing and spending quality family time. For conversation starters, print out or create decorated cards with fun questions or prompts to respond to. For example, ask someone at the table what they are thankful for, what their favorite part of the meal is, or who they would consider their hero and why. These are just some suggestions you can come up with.
Or, come up with a permanent memento of your family time. Using permanent marker, have each of your guests write what they are thankful for on a white table cloth. After dinner, the cloth can be washed gently and put away until next year. It’s a unique and powerful way to remember what the holiday is truly about.
It’s the little words of gratitude that can go a long way in our lives. Thanksgiving is a time where we reminisce on the key values of life, and those who we get to cherish them with. Remember to take a moment and share your appreciation, and give thanks, to those who are important to you.
