Beyond the Turkey: New Thanksgiving Traditions to Try

Thanksgiving

By Valene Ayar

Now that we have packed away our Halloween decorations, it is time to turn our focus to Thanksgiving and the holiday season. This is the perfect time of year to focus on family and loved ones with some classic (and new) traditions! Below is a list of ideas to incorporate this coming “Turkey Day.”

While turkey is usually the main event at any Thanksgiving feast, it is also a good idea to branch out. Why not call relatives and friends and ask them for their best recipes with other dishes? Even better if the new recipe happens to be a spin on a traditional Chaldean dish! After the holiday is done, you will have a new recipe you can make whenever you want. It is the gift that keeps on giving.

A fun way to get everyone involved while bringing more food into the mix, have your (willing) guests make a small pot of dolma to bring with them. Assign each one a number and let everyone try the different dishes to decide whose is best. This is a fun way to get the adults involved and in the competitive spirit.

Thanksgiving is a beautiful day to reflect on all we have to be grateful for and to help those less fortunate. While shelters and soup kitchens are typically overrun with volunteers on this day, that doesn’t mean you can’t find other ways to give back. Why not volunteer at an animal shelter or go around the neighborhood and collect canned food to donate? You can even ask your guests to bring some canned goods to your holiday dinner along with any side dishes. It doesn’t cost much and is a great way to teach your children the importance of charity and compassion.

We’ve already established that Thanksgiving Day is a day of reflection for all that we are grateful for, so why not also set gratitude intentions for the coming year? Have everyone make a list of future things to be grateful for and save the list for next year to see how those things have come to fruition. You may think of it as a Gratitude List/New Year’s Resolution hybrid. Be sure to express your intentions in present tense, as if they have already happened. Studies show that setting intentions/affirmations in the present rewires the subconscious mind to get to work on making those intentions come true.

While the turkey usually holds center stage on Thanksgiving, there is no reason you can’t introduce some nice decor to bolster the main star! Why not keep the kids busy creating crafts while you finish up cooking? (We’ve all seen those handprint turkeys.) You can make it even more fun by introducing some friendly competition into the mix. Offer a treat or reward for whoever creates the nicest centerpiece.

Another way to entertain the kids is by introducing some fun and games to the holiday. It doesn’t just have to be the kids; everyone can have fun with this one. Play “Turkey Trivia” or break out photos from Thanksgivings past and make a game of identifying the photo subjects. Scavenger hunts and Bingo games are always fun and are easy to modify for any holiday. How about hosting your own neighborhood Thanksgiving Day Parade? It can be on foot, on bikes, on scooters, or your choice.

Whatever you do to make your holiday more festive, remember it’s the effort that counts. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Who doesn’t love making a wish with a wishbone? But it is typically a challenge to decide who gets to split it. Why not hide it somewhere in the house and have everyone split into teams of two to find it. Whichever duo finds it gets to break it!

Football is great but in between the endless stream of games all day, it is nice to break it up with a Christmas Movie so everyone can enjoy. This is great for after dinner when the food is digesting and making everyone sleepy. With so many streaming platforms, you will have no problem finding a movie everyone will love! Home Alone has always been a personal favorite!

Hopefully this list has provided you with some fun new ways to enjoy the holiday and bond with your loved ones. What are some of your favorites not on this list?