Thanksgiving activity ideas: a new twist on a traditional holiday

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Thanksgiving is coming up, and you are so pumped for the food and… the Macy’s Day Parade… and football? Okay, so maybe it seems like there isn’t a lot to do on Thanksgiving. Sure, it’s fun to get together with family and eat a lot of turkey, but what happens after that? If you’re like me, football isn’t exactly your idea of fun and the Macy’s Day Parade is only until 11:00 am. What do you do for the remaining three to four hours that you’re stuck with family who you barely see? Well, here are some ideas:

Play football

Football isn’t just for the sporty people, and everyone knows that watching a sport isn’t nearly as fun as playing it. Convince some of your cousins, aunts, uncles, whomever, and go outside and have some fun. It doesn’t even have to be a real football game; just toss the ball and tackle at random. (Don’t worry about the clothes. What’s some dirty laundry to some family fun?)

Look at family photos

Last year, my family did this. Everyone dug around in some old photo boxes beforehand and brought their favorites to Thanksgiving. Then, we all sat down at the table and passed them around, remembering and telling the younger kids (myself included) the stories behind the pictures. I know this may sound weird, but it’s a great way to spend a day thinking about all of the things you’re thankful for.

Prepare for Black Friday

Gather the family (the ones brave enough to handle it), raid your bank accounts, and draw out your battle maps in preparation for the blitz that is Black Friday. This not only gives you something to do while you’re counting down the hours until you can leave, it also helps you catch up with your family members.

Go see a movie

It’s that time of year, the awkward point between horror and holiday movies. Therefore, there will be something for everyone! Movies are a great excuse: it’s like bonding, but you don’t talk. Suggestions: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Moana, Almost Christmas, and Arrival.

Play games

You can never go wrong with some good, old-fashioned family fun. Break out Sorry or Aggravation, Boggle or Scrabble. If board games don’t suit your fancy, cards are always fun. There’s Blackjack, BS, Kemps, Crazy 8’s, and much, much more. If for some reason you have no board games and no stacks of cards, get some paper and a pen and play Pictionary, or download Heads Up! on your phone.

Pack up dessert

I know this may not sound like a lot of fun, but trust me, you’ll be thankful for it. Odds are that there will be some leftovers and there is no doubt dessert is the best part, so obviously you need to call dibs. Get a couple of spare plastic containers that your aunt has and spoon in some baked apples or a couple slices of pumpkin pie. (Personally, I’d go for the dirt pudding.) To add some family fun, grab your favorite cousin and catch up while you pack up.

Whatever you decide to do this Thanksgiving, whether it be planning out your Christmas baking day or watching college football, just make sure that you do spend it with family.