41 Fun Thanksgiving Traditions to Start With Your Family
Make the holiday even more special with these meaningful ways to celebrate.
We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.
Just about everyone's Turkey Day celebration features a traditional Thanksgiving dinner spread: a gleaming roast turkey with stuffing (or dressing, depending on your background and where you live), enough of your family's favorite Thanksgiving side dishes to make the table groan under their weight and pumpkin pie with a dollop of whipped cream for dessert. And if your family is anything like mine, you probably have at least a handful of Thanksgiving activities that really make the occasion feel uniquely yours.
For many people, Thanksgiving is one of the few chances we have all year to gather with our families or chosen families to share a delicious meal, give thanks for our blessings and soak up the joy of each other's company. Over the years, families and groups of friends often develop their own special Thanksgiving traditions they bring out every year. They can be fun or unusual, culinary or crafty, athletic or relaxing — and most don't require any additional materials other than everyone's enthusiasm. I asked Good Housekeeping editors and a handful of friends to share the traditions, dishes and activities that make their holiday memorable. Add a few of them to your family celebration this year and they might just become treasured additions.
Serve a Signature Cocktail
Start your festivities off with a special sip by serving a signature cocktail. Something as simple as spiked apple cider, cranberry gin and tonic or mulled wine works for larger groups, or mix up special fall cocktails if you're more of a mixologist.
RELATED: 45 Best Fall Cocktails That'll Keep You Cozy on an Autumn Day
Send Guests Home with Leveled-Up Leftovers
Love 'em or hate 'em, Thanksgiving leftovers are part of the deal. Get creative with yours by sending guests home with fresh ideas. Maybe that's something as simple as writing out your favorite Thanksgiving sandwich recipe (if you haven't used French toast as bread, you haven't lived) or printing out recipes for using the ingredients in new ways.
RELATED: 53 Leftover Turkey Recipes You Can Feast on After Turkey Day
Kick off the Holiday Season
Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season, so lean into it. Exchange small Hanukkah gifts or ornaments for Christmas trees, sing a few carols or watch a holiday movie. Or go big and decorate the Christmas tree together. Many hands make light work, after all!
Hold a Pie Competition
Take the pressure off the family baker by spreading it around and host a pie-baking competition. Let's be honest, everyone wins with this one.
RELATED: 75 Best Thanksgiving Desserts That Make Turkey Day Extra Sweet
Play Festive Music
Set the mood with festive tunes that will get everyone's toes tapping as they cook and do the dishes. There are plenty of Thanksgiving songs to add to your playlist — but Thanksgiving is also the appropriate time to start playing Christmas music, too. (Please don't @ us, early adopters).
Dine Al Fresco
If you live in a climate where the weather allows it, take the festivities outdoors. It will make the meal feel special, and can mean more table space if your yard is bigger than your dining room.
Let Somebody Else Host
Spread the hosting duties around, to take the burden off one person. It works especially well if most of your attendees live nearby, but switching up the city where it's held can take the pressure off travelers, too.
Watch a Seasonal Show or Movie
While everyone's digesting their second helpings (and maybe thinking of going back for thirds), cozy up in front of the TV for some screen-based bonding. Bonus points if you choose a seasonal show. In my family, we always watch the 1987 classic Planes, Trains and Automobiles after the dishes are done.
RELATED: 30 Best Thanksgiving Movies to Watch After Your Big Meal
Eat Pie for Breakfast
It's a holiday: treat yourself. Start the day off on a sweet note by serving your traditional Thanksgiving pies for breakfast with coffee instead of after the big meal. That way, you won't be too full to indulge in dessert.
Watch 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving'
Chance are a lot of adults in your house viewed this 1973 classic every Turkey Day. Now, get the next generation involved by streaming it on Thanksgiving.
RELATED: How to Watch and Stream 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving' for Free This November
Throw a Friendsgiving
Thanksgiving is a time for celebrating those we love, and that includes people not related by love. Gather with your chosen family for a "friendsgiving" to give thanks for your entire circle — and chow down on another table full of seasonal favorites.
Try a New Dish or Cuisine
We all have our favorite Thanksgiving standards, but after a number of years, the spread can start to feel a little stale. Mix it up by adding a dish from another culture or just a new twist on an old favorite. You may discover a new tradition!
Go Ahead, Dine Out
Consider this your stamp of approval: You don't have to cook Thanksgiving dinner. Make things easier on everyone by dining out or having it catered. Just don't forget to make reservations, especially if you've got a big group.
Ask the Kids to Set the Table
Get the littlest guests involved in the preparations by having them set the Thanksgiving table for dinner while the adults put the finishing touches on the food. Giving them a task is a triple whammy: They'll be proud that they could contribute to the festivities, learn the importance of pitching in and stay out of trouble (and away from the hot stove).
Celebrate Everyone's Birthdays
Families and friend groups that only see each other once a year, this one's for you. Emma Seymour of the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab says her family sings "Happy Birthday" when they gather for Thanksgiving — cake with candles included! That way, everyone gets to celebrate their special day with those they love, even if they can't travel all gather together on the actual date.
Volunteer at a Soup Kitchen
On Thanksgiving, pay your blessings forward by volunteering at a local soup kitchen, food pantry or at any organization serving a hot meal or gathering supplies for those who may otherwise go without. Charity organizations generally appreciate a few extra hands, especially on a holiday. Call ahead to make sure they can accommodate your group, and get any special instructions.
RELATED: How Volunteering Can Improve Your Own Health and Happiness
Collect Non-Perishable Foods to Donate
Food banks and soup kitchens often get inundated with volunteers at the holidays and then experience a steep drop-off afterward. Help them weather the dip by asking your guests to bring a non-perishable food item to donate later. Keep in mind that people experiencing food insecurity want to eat the same delicious things anyone else does, so only donate unexpired, usable food.
Make a Craft
Creating a Thanksgiving craft is just as much fun for the kids as the kids-at-heart. Making a seasonal activity will keep the little ones busy while the cooks finish the meal or during clean-up. It's also a great unplugged bonding activity.
RELATED: Thanksgiving Crafts That Will Teach Them What the Holiday Is Really All About
Quiz Everyone on Thanksgiving Trivia
Foster a little friendly competition with a round of Thanksgiving-themed trivia. Whoever has the best score at the end wins a small prize!
Run a Turkey Trot
Sign up for a Turkey Trot to get some exercise before digging into the big meal. The first known Turkey Trot footrace took place in Buffalo, NY in 1896, and it'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 (pun very much intended). For an even more festive run, dress up in silly costumes and laugh all the way to the finish line.
The Most Popular Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Everything That Went Down During My Reddit AMA
56 Best Thanksgiving Wishes and Short Messages
100 Clever Thanksgiving Instagram Captions
