Over the years, families evolve and change the ways they celebrate and gather during holidays. Having a spouse or your own children changes how you interact and visit with parents and siblings and in-laws, and sometimes has a way of eliminating the amount of visiting and out-of-home interactions we have. Even further, Covid has changed the way many families conduct their holidays, and new traditions may be necessary to accommodate the deviations that are happening. Here, we have compiled a list of new traditions to start with your family this Thanksgiving!
Creating Crafts
Break out the scissors, construction paper, and glue! What better way to explore your family’s creative side than to make holiday decorations together? Make all the construction paper turkeys that your children’s little handprints can create and tape them all over your front window to let the world know how much fun and love fills your home.
Cozy Up with a Movie Series Binge
Harry Potter? Star Wars? Lord of the Rings? Back to the Future? Jaws? Find a series that the whole family loves and spend the day (or two… or three…) binging all the movies in order.
Matching Pajamas
Why limit matching Pajamas to Christmas card pictures? Get the whole family some cozy pajamas that match and rock them all day (especially during the family movie binge!)
Everyone Picks a Dish
Who said turkey and stuffing and pie were the absolute law of the land on Thanksgiving? If your family prefers lasagna or a Honey Baked Ham, why deny them? Let every member of the family pick a favorite dish that they want served for Thanksgiving dinner. And then perhaps you can probe them all to help prepare them!
Start Christmas Ornaments
After dinner, break the crafting items out again! Get started personalizing Christmas ornaments that can be hung up on the tree in the next few weeks.
Learn About a Different Culture
It’s important to remember that part of celebrating Thanksgiving is acknowledging the indigenous people that were in the Americas long before anyone else. This is a great opportunity to learn about the tribes that are native to the land around your home and celebrating those who were here first.
Compile a Gratitude List all Month
With hundreds of reasons to be thankful all year round, the least we can do is make a list that compounds through the month of all the things we are grateful for. Share them with each other while you’re indulging in Thanksgiving Dinner.
Dessert Bake-Off
Pumpkin Pie isn’t the only dessert that is worthy of being served at your feast. Have every in the family make their favorite dessert and compete for the new family favorite!
Volunteer
Thanksgiving offers the perfect opportunity to teach your family about giving back and being a proactive member of our community. Challenge each member to find a way to volunteer and find a passion in contributing to those who need a little help.
Family Room Campout
After a long day of food and movies and love, throw some blankets out on the floor of the family room and snuggle with the people you love the most.
