The Thanksgiving season is here and with it comes all our favorite long-held traditions. But traditions can only stay alive if we enjoy keeping them so here are some tips for spicing up your classic turkey day traditions.
Classic Thanksgiving Traditions With A Twist!
#1. Family Celebration – Holidays are all about spending time with our families. Often we'll travel great distances and go to great lengths just to make it to a dinner with dish in hand and then a few hours later turn around and head home. Sometimes our families come to us.
New Twist: Connect in a different way! Invite friends or neighbors who can't make it to their families for a visit this year. Also use video conferencing to see family members who are too far away.
#2. Football – Everyone has the die-hard sports fans in their family. As soon as the game starts, nothing better come between the couch and the screen! Yearly games are highly anticipated and if you are throwing fantasy football into the mix there is a whole new reason to not miss a game.
New Twist: Offer another type of sport for those that aren't interesting in watching the game. Leave the dishes for later and make a point to enjoy some together time. A sports-themed video game tournament can be a lot of fun (held in another room, if needed!) If you have ping pong, darts or horseshoes available – start a new tradition of getting off the couch. You could even gasp! play actual football outside.
#3. Turkey Dinner – Every picture perfect Thanksgiving dinner wouldn't be complete without a golden roasted turkey. And there are those that stick with the same old standards each and every year. The dressing, the gravy, the cranberry sauce.
New Twist: Especially in families where multiple thanksgiving meals are attended, try breaking from tradition. Serve special appetizers and drinks instead and watch a film or play game together. Or consider picking a theme for the food each year (Cajun? Mexican? Indian? Southern? Tapas? ) to try new recipes and mix it up. Not ready to give up your turkey and dressing, no problem! Just try replacing one side dish or dessert with a new recipe. This will keeps things new and interesting.
#4. Giving Thanks – The holiday is named after this tradition, after all! So coming together to show gratitude for the bounty the year has brought should always be part of your celebration.
New Twist: Make the giving of thanks a little more tangible and a lot more fun with a "Thanks Jar." Get your family and friends to write down what they are thankful for on a piece of paper and collect them all together in a container. You can start collecting these at the beginning of the month or specifically on Thanksgiving Day. After dinner, take turns drawing out "thanks" and reading them aloud. You could even make it a fun game by guessing who wrote each. Save the best ones to include in your photo album!
What are your Thanksgiving traditions, new or old? How did they get started? Let us know in the comments!
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