Every year in November, we take a whole day to eat, enjoy company, and be reminded of what we are thankful for. Thanksgiving is full of many traditions passed down from aunts, uncles, friends, or grandparents. Whether you talk about stories from the past, take a family walk, wear silly clothes, cook, or bake a family recipe. Here is a list of family traditions that your family can add to their Thanksgiving Day celebration.

 

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Every year in New York City, we watch gigantic inflatable balloons of different characters float high above the sky down the streets of Manhattan. The parade is filled with music, dancing, and fun! It is a three-hour event that is so much fun to watch and great for the whole family to sit around the television to watch, or if you happen to live in New York City, you get front row seats!

 

Share What You are Thankful for

Before dinner, you can go around the table and ask everyone to share what they’re most thankful for. The kids can make cute crafts to share what they are thankful for. Or, instead of doing it right before dinner, you can share while you’re cooking with others.

 

Break the Wishbone

Breaking the wishbone is a superstition that a majority of people love doing. While carving the turkey, the wishbone will be easier to access, be sure not to break it when taking it out. Once it is out of the turkey and in one piece, set the wishbone aside to dry. After it is dry, two people will take each end of the wishbone and pull it apart. Before you pull it apart make a wish in your head. Whoever gets the bigger piece of the wishbone means their wish will come true. They’ll also have good luck for the rest of the year.

 

Run a Turkey Trot

Yes, some families get up early in the morning to lace up their shoes and run a Turkey Trot. This tradition may not be for everyone but is a great way to start your Thanksgiving morning because you can make an excuse to treat yourself to a lot of food and dessert during dinner. Plus, you may even get a cool turkey-shaped medal and a free banana when you complete it! Find a local race near you. 

 

Give Back to the Community

Thanksgiving is one of the biggest days of the year where thousands of people go to their local homeless shelter or soup kitchen to help serve those less fortunate. If you can’t make it that exact day, you can always adopt a Thanksgiving family; prepare a Thanksgiving basket with all the essentials and deliver it to the family. Or another option is to go around and ask your community to donate canned food to give to a family, individuals, or even the homeless shelter. Any way you help will be appreciated by those around you!

 

 Take a Trip Down Memory Lane

Thanksgiving Day is a great way to learn more about your family and the funny stories that come along with each person. Having the older relatives sit with the children and share stories from their childhood is always interesting. Listening to how your grandparents grew up and the different ways they celebrated holidays, birthdays, and how they lived can give insight into your family members. You can even take some time to look through some old photo albums and reminisce about the great memories you all had.

 

Cook Family Recipes

There are a ton of recipes that you can cook on Thanksgiving Day. Although the ones passed down from generation to generation are always the best ones. You can hear the story of how the recipes came to be, how it changed over the years, and how important it is. You can even start your tradition by making your recipes for Thanksgiving!