As a new parent I want to make each holiday special for my daughter and I want to create traditions that she can count on and enjoy celebrating, maybe even traditions to pass on to her children one day. I was at a loss for traditions that were memorable and worthwhile… so begins every Pinterest search ever. These are a few of my favorite Thanksgiving Traditions that I hope to celebrate this year and create family traditions for years to come.
We usually are traveling to my family in the panhandle for Thanksgiving so I was searching for activities to do exclusively while traveling and ones we could include the family members we are with.
Bake a Pie – you may have heard of my father who won the Amarillo State Fair for Best Apple Pie. We try to not let the fame get to us. Although we haven’t baked a pie together every thanksgiving it is a thanksgiving tradition I love to do with him and I hope Amelia will too one day. Or if you aren’t the baking type go out and support local businesses and find a sweet treat at one of these Coastal Bend favs.
Read the story of the first Thanksgiving – Since Amelia is still a little young to read an extensive book I got these book to account for her short attention span and still get the point across. They each tell the story of the very first Thanksgiving Tradition – a shared meal. We used Pete the Cat: The First Thanksgiving, it is short story with lift-the-flaps and images that bring to mind grumpy cat. We also got The Story of the Pilgrims it is a little more extensive, but shares the same concept. 
Make a Gratitude Pumpkin: I wish I could take credit for this idea but you can find all the info here.
GIVE to others: Collect some toys or clothes from around the house. Probably the best thanksgiving tradition out of the whole list and one we should all be teaching to our children.
Baby’s First Thanksgiving Plate (Craft) or a Family Platter: This is literally sooo easy, yet so cute! You can get any white plates at the dollar store, you’ll also need some acrylic paint in your chosen colors and a glass paint marker like this one. There are so many designs you can use to create a turkey, this is what we did! Have fun with it! (I’ll be sure to post the finished product once Thanksgiving comes around.)
Social Media Detox Day – easy enough right? A day without any social media. Instead of reading what everyone else is thankful for, be completely present with the individuals you are thankful for.
Thankful Turkey – Similar to the gratitude pumpkin this functions as more of an Elf on the Shelf and praises your kids for things you are thankful for them. For example, the turkey would hold a note that said, “I am thankful that you brushed your teeth by yourself today.” Find more info about it here. Amazon’s plush turkey’s were relatively expensive so I just found a few cheaper options at Micheals and Hobby Lobby.
Participate in a Turkey Trot or a Turkey Chase as we call it in the Coastal Bend region. You can get info here and sign-up here.
Use a writable table cloth – This is a great idea for the whole family to interact with. Use butcher paper or a cheap white tablecloth with sharpies to write what you are thankful for on the table throughout the day. Plus the kiddos would think it’s so cool to be writing on the table.
Thanksgiving Activity Bucket – For those of you that have younger kids this is a great idea to keep them busy while you are cooking the feast or just as a family fun activity. It can include things like coloring pages, a new thanksgiving themed book, pretty much any craft that ends in a turkey, Any dollar or craft store has pre-made craft packets so you don’t have to hunt down supplies or ideas.
Go to the Movies –This is one of my favorite thanksgiving traditions after stuffing myself all day! Especially now that most of the movie theaters have recliners. Here is a list of movies set to release in November. There are some definite family fun contenders like Frozen II or A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.
Watch the Macy’s Day Parade
Watch a Christmas Movie to get into the festive spirit.
Watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
Watch the Friends Thanksgiving episodes – nothing is more iconic than Monica with an uncooked turkey on her head. If you don’t want to spend 3 ½ hours watching TV, the most famous episode is Season 5: Episode 8: “The One With All the Thanksgivings.” Also I never realized the naming of these episodes, does anyone know the history about this? I feel like there is a story there. Although I don’t plan to watch all of them this is a thanksgiving tradition I hope share with my wife maybe at the end of the night when all has calmed down form the days festivities.
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- Season 1: Episode 9 “The One Where Underdog Gets Away”
- Season 3: Episode 9: “The One With The Football”
- Season 4: Episode 8: “The One With Chandler In A Box”
- Season 5: Episode 8: “The One With All The Thanksgivings”
- Season 6: Episode 9: “The One Where Ross Got High”
- Season 7: Episode 8: “The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs”
- Season 8: Episode 9: “The One With The Rumor”
- Season 9: Episode 8: “The One With Rachel’s Other Sister”
- Season 10: Episode 8 “The One With The Late Thanksgiving”
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What are your favorite traditions? Do you have plans of adding traditions to your family celebrations this year?
