Healthy Living
9 Fun Things to Do on Thanksgiving Day
Turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, football and spending time with family are just a few of the things that make Thanksgiving such a great holiday. In the United States, Thanksgiving is also generally considered the beginning of the holiday season.
Of course, in this day and age, technology and our always-connected world can get in the way of spending true quality time with our friends and loved ones. It’s easy to get sidetracked with focusing too much on the game or staring endlessly at our smartphones. So here are a few tips for making the most out of being with your family and enjoying the day without too much screen time.
- Everyone give thanks – At mealtime, many families say grace, give thanks or say a pre-meal prayer. Expressing gratitude is emotionally rewarding. So give every person at the table, including children, a chance to say or express something before eating.
- Go for a walk – Pick a nice park or anywhere you think you’ll enjoy walking or running and enjoy some leisurely time outdoors before or after your Thanksgiving meal. Or you can gather a few family members and join a Thanksgiving race/walk together. Many cities have “Turkey Trots” or similar 5K/10K walks.
- Arts and crafts – If you consider yourself crafty and enjoy crafts, get the kids together and whoever else is interested and make some Thanksgiving crafts. You could create placemats, napkin holders, a centerpiece for the holiday table or wreaths.
- Play board games – Games like Scrabble, Cranium, Pictionary, Risk, Trivial Pursuit, Scattergories and many others are perfect for connecting with our family members at gatherings.
- Go watch a movie – If you’re not having a large gathering or get-together, going to a movie might be a great way to spend a part of the day. It won’t get you outside, but it might make for good conversation during dinner.
- Play lawn football – If weather permits, doing something active like a game of touch football, soccer, hide-and-seek or tag can get the whole family moving, and you can enjoy the sun or some fresh air.
- Sing karaoke – Look up music videos on YouTube or stream a holiday radio station and have a sing-a-long. This is something everyone in the family can participate in. Most kids should love this.
- Express appreciation for each other – For many families, especially larger ones, it can be a challenge not to have differences or past grievances. On this one day, leave all of those at the door. Have everyone go around the table and tell one thing they appreciate about each person there.
- Invite a guest – In particular, someone who doesn’t have a place to go. Many people spend Thanksgiving on their own either because they don’t have family in town and are not able to travel to them or they have commitments that keep them away from home. This can be a big blessing to them and can make your holiday more meaningful because of it.