30 Best Thanksgiving Traditions to Start This Year - How to Start a Family Tradition

2022-09-11 18:51:37 By : Ms. Vicky Fang

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Splitting the wishbone is just the tip of the iceberg.

You likely already have some old Thanksgiving traditions: a good ol’ football game (playing and watching both count); tuning in to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade on television (now that has to be one of the most popular American Thanksgiving traditions ever); and cooking up the ultimate Thanksgiving menu with everyone’s favorite dishes. Whether you have a large family with a long-standing list of Turkey Day to-dos or are looking for some new small family Thanksgiving traditions to start up, we’ve compiled an epic list of fall family activities—a Thanksgiving bucket list, if you will.

Now we can all agree that it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without Grandma’s famous pecan pie. But because Thanksgiving Day is about way more than the food, we’ve selected activities that involve getting outside (a trip to the tree farm to walk off aforementioned pie), getting creative (all ages will love “gratitude bracelets” and other Thanksgiving crafts for kids), and—above all—the best ways to spend quality time with your family, as well as Thanksgiving traditions with friends (‘Friendsgiving’ is just the best!).

A new tradition can be as small as trying out a new recipe or as big as inviting your neighbors to an annual fall fair in your backyard. However you decide to fill up your family's Turkey Day itinerary, take this list and count the ways you can make it the absolute best. And count your blessings while you’re at it.

Whether you're watching, attending, or playing (our favorite!), football is a big part of many families' Turkey Day itinerary.

Express gratitude for family, friends, and food with a meaningful Thanksgiving prayer or Thanksgiving poem. Make it a tradition to go around the table and have everyone say what they are most thankful for in 2021.

Join Tom Turkey and all of your other favorite balloon friends for one of the most American Thanksgiving traditions—the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade! Watch performances from pop stars, marching bands, and more.

Use old family photos as a nostalgic touch on the table and to inspire "remember when" banter. After the meal wraps up, watch old family movies or flip through photo albums for a few good laughs (and possibly tears, too).

Get outside after that epic Thanksgiving dinner and kick off the Christmas season with a trip to a nearby Christmas tree farm. Major bonus points if you chop your tree down yourself!

As a welcome for out-of-town guests (or just another way to celebrate the season), host a casual, tailgate-style party. Bake pumpkin-themed goodies and make a big batch of warm apple cider. Talk about a warm welcome and something everyone will look forward to year after year!

Whether on Thanksgiving Day or another time during November, celebrate your nearest and dearest friends by hosting a Friendsgiving feast. Because after all: "There are friends, there's family, and then there are friends who become family."

Most of the activities on this list are ideal as Thanksgiving traditions for small families. From setting a pretty table to taking a post-Thanksgiving walk, young families can start small and pick traditions that are right for them.

Welcome guests with loads of fall decor around your front door, including mounds of pumpkins, vintage lanterns, and a wreath made from a tobacco basket twirled up with magnolia leaves, bittersweet, and mini pumpkins.

Create the longest, most welcoming Thanksgiving table your town (or neighborhood) has ever seen. A casual, potluck-style feast is the way to go here. The more, the merrier!

Whether you've inherited your great-grandmother's china or use mix-and-match plates from your own collection, infusing vintage vibes for your Thanksgiving table makes for a lovely, nostalgic setting.

Keep the children occupied while the food is being prepared by stocking a table with Thanksgiving coloring sheets and more and the makings for a turkey-themed craft or two.

Remember all the guests who've graced your Thanksgiving table—past and present, too—by creating a memory table runner. To make, have guests sign the runner with a disappearing pen, then embroider over the signatures.

Head out to a nearby orchard and gather the freshest pecans. Your pecan pie will never taste better!

Celebrate the warm spices of the season with a DIY cinnamon stick placecard holder. Simply wrap the ends of a cinnamon stick with red twine and insert a place card in its natural opening. You can use them year after year.

There's just something romantic and special about al fresco dining. If you're lucky enough to live in a warm weather climate, move your feast outdoors.

If you haven't already made it to a fall fair this year, now's the time! Set one up right on your front porch or in your backyard for a fun-filled, pre- or post-Thanksgiving activity. A gourd ring toss or pumpkin knock-down game are so easy to set up. Invite the neighbors for a little friendly competition.

When your Thanksgiving feasting comes to an end, head outdoors to stretch your legs (and walk off all that turkey!).

Just because you love your long-standing Thanksgiving menu doesn't mean you can't try a new dish or two to freshen things up. This hasselback sweet potato dish, for instance, is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Not only does setting the table give your kids a sense of responsibility and a role in helping with the Thanksgiving meal, but it's also something special to share each year.

Let your kids craft personal gratitude bracelets—or have the whole family join in. They'll love wearing their creations all year round.

Get the tutorial at Sugar and Charm.

An edible wreath is a tradition that tastes as sweet as it looks! Little ones (and let's face it, big ones too!) will love helping you create this one-of-a-kind sugar cookie masterpiece each year.

Weird as it may seem, wishbone splitting is an age-old Thanksgiving tradition. And we love it!

A confetti-stuffed turkey piñata works just as nicely as a kids' table centerpiece as it does a post-feast activity. Fill it with candies and trinkets, and everyone wins!

Get the tutorial at Studio DIY.

A good ol'-fashioned game night is an excellent way to keep your family together after the meal. Whether it's cards, best board games, checkers, or dominoes, kids and adults can get in on the action. Keep a list of winners to revisit year after year.

Tupperware is so last year! Send guests home with a few leftovers in true country style. Simple sides, like this farro salad, wrap up beautifully in to-go-style Mason jars.

Your Thanksgiving table just isn't complete without a beautiful, eye-catching fall centerpiece. Use the same vessel each year with a fresh mix of seasonal blooms.

Start a new tradition by asking everyone to write what they are thankful for on a DIY butcher-paper tablecloth.

Get the tutorial at Boulder Locavore.

Really, we would be happy with any type of pie, but pumpkin pie just screams Thanksgiving.

As soon as you've cleaned up the Thanksgiving meal, go ahead and deck the halls with all the holiday decorating. 'Tis the season!