Celebrate Thanksgiving with the Thanksgiving traditions on this list of “Turkey Day” celebration ideas with your family and friends this holiday season.
This list of thanksgiving traditions and celebration ideas contains everything you need to make your Thanksgiving festivities more meaningful. Below you can find a list of traditional Thanksgiving menu items (with recipes), fun Thanksgiving games, easy fall harvest decorations, gratitude activities & crafts, and more fun things to do on, for, and just after Thanksgiving.
This year, pick a new Thanksgiving tradition to do with your family and friends for Thanksgiving. But please remember–this is a can-do list of family Thanksgiving traditions, not a must-do list. So, if it doesn’t look fun, don’t do it! We hope you enjoy trying something new for Thanksgiving in 2022!
This fun article about traditional thanksgiving celebration ideas also includes a brief history of Thanksgiving. So if you’re wondering when Thanksgiving is this year–or looking for fun things to do on Thanksgiving day or for Thanksgiving break with the kids. Scroll down to have all of your questions answered and more! You may also enjoy this list of Christmas Traditions and Fun Easter Traditions to start with your family.
Thanksgiving Tradition FAQs
Before sharing our list of unique and classic family Thanksgiving traditions and celebration ideas, we thought we would answer a few FAQs (frequently asked questions) about Thanksgiving (also known as Turkey Day) and when Thanksgiving happens in the United States and Canada.
Related: Fun Family Christmas Traditions for a Magical Holiday
What is Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving is a holiday in the United States and Canada that we celebrate to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. And this fall holiday is also called “Turkey Day” because the traditional Thanksgiving menu features turkey as the main dish–or a vegetarian or vegan alternative.
We give thanks not only for the bounty we have received at harvest and the food on our table during the holiday season but also for the gifts and blessings we receive throughout the year. Even for the hard-won lessons, we earn from making terrible mistakes–we give thanks for everything. Otherwise, the universe will provide us with the opportunity to learn it again.
How did Thanksgiving originate?
Several mistruths surround the story of Thanksgiving and why we celebrate it. Many of us are taught to believe that the first American Thanksgiving meal was a three-day feast celebrated by the Pilgrims and the American Indians after their first harvest in the new world in October 1621.
Unfortunately, this story is not entirely true. It is a “story” told to the American people to whitewash the history of the brutalities committed against the indigenous peoples that inhabited these lands long before us.
Thanksgiving truths and mistruths
First of all, earth-based societies worldwide celebrated by creating elaborate harvest feasts for Mabon at the autumnal equinox long before it was ever called Thanksgiving.
However, it is true that Pilgrims had trouble growing food and suffered from terrible famines and numerous diseases–and that many of the first American settlers died as a result. And it is also true that the Wampanoag Indians showed the pilgrims how to grow crops such as corn to make it possible for the early settlers to harvest food.
The lies begin when “the story” shares that the Pilgrims had a Thanksgiving feast to thank the Native Americans for their help. As it turns out, this “story” is NOT true. Author James Barker dispels many myths surrounding the holiday known as Thanksgiving and outlines its actual history in “Thanksgiving: The Biography of an American Holiday.”
In this, the first in-depth study of the most American of holidays, James Baker sweeps away lingering myths and misconceptions to show how this celebration day was born and grew to be an essential part of our national spirit.
(source)
And although a few of the “stories” we are told about “Thanksgiving” are lies, that does not mean we should not honor it as a time to “give thanks.” Instead, we can leave the harmful “stories” behind and create new ones filled with thankfulness for the lessons we continue to learn. At the same time, reminding ourselves and our families that mistakes are how we learn to do better next time.
So that today, we can create stories of community, connection, and diversity. And keep celebrating Thanksgiving for what it should be–a time to be grateful. So, make a fresh start this autumn with any of the Thanksgiving tradition ideas listed below in the remaining FAQs.
What are some typical family traditions for Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving Traditions consist of how Thanksgiving is celebrated from family to family and household to household. Thus, Thanksgiving traditions are the rituals, routines, and festive holiday rhythms shared with family and friends on or around Thanksgiving.
One of the most typical Thanksgiving traditions is cooking a turkey dinner with all the fixings (or vegetarian alternatives) to share with family, friends, and neighbors. The classic family tradition of serving a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner is why Thanksgiving is also called “Turkey Day.”
Below, we have curated a list of classic Thanksgiving celebration ideas and unique traditions you can try with your family this year. Meaningful Thanksgiving family traditions, such as the unique ideas on the list below, can help make the holidays meaningful and memorable for all family members.
When do you celebrate Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving falls after the fall harvest in both Canada and the US. In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday in October, while Thanksgiving happens on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States.
My family has enjoyed the “blessings of an abundant harvest,” and Thanksgiving traditions with family and friends in both places–and quite a few of us are dual citizens. As a result, we have an even greater appreciation of how much we have to be thankful for.
How do you celebrate Thanksgiving?
In the United States and Canada, we celebrate Thanksgiving to remind ourselves to give thanks for the bounty we are given at harvest and throughout the year.
In other words, Thanksgiving is celebrated as a day to give thanks for everything we have or receive. We give thanks for the food on our table–and for each of the blessings in our lives. Even the hard-learned lessons and mistakes.
What do most people do on Thanksgiving?
Traditionally, Thanksgiving is celebrated with a big meal shared between family and friends. A traditional Thanksgiving dinner most often includes the foods served at the first Thanksgiving; turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, and seasonal vegetable side dishes such as corn or green beans.
What day is Thanksgiving or Turkey Day?
In the United States, Thanksgiving is traditionally celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, while Thanksgiving is usually celebrated on the second Monday in October in Canada.
When is Thanksgiving this year?
This year, Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving on Monday, October 10, 2022, while Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 24, 2022, in the United States.
20 Thanksgiving Traditions to Start with Your Family in 2022
Use this collection of Thanksgiving tradition ideas and fun ways to celebrate Thanksgiving to help you and your family create meaning in your lives and memories that will last a lifetime. As mentioned above, Thanksgiving is traditionally celebrated to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. So, we give thanks for the bounty we are given at harvest–and the bounty (blessings and lessons) that we continue to receive throughout the year.
Many of these traditional ideas are fun things to do on Thanksgiving. Other Thanksgiving traditions are activities to do before your Thanksgiving celebration or the day after Thanksgiving. You may have already heard of some of these Thanksgiving traditions, but we hope you can find something new and exciting to add to your family’s Thanksgiving celebrations!
Related: The Best Fall Art Projects for Kids
1. Host or attend a traditional Thanksgiving meal.
One of the most classic Thanksgiving traditions is hosting or attending a Thanksgiving meal with a delicious dessert to celebrate with family, friends, and neighbors. Traditionally, families choose to serve a delicious oven-roasted turkey for Thanksgiving.
However, some chefs have created delicious and creative meal substitutes, including deep-fried turkeys and vegetarian or vegan Thanksgiving dinner menu options, that would make anyone’s mouth water–Thanksgiving turkey or not!
And, if nobody in your family feels like cooking or doing the dishes this year, reserve a table at your favorite local restaurant instead. Some families eat a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant every year as one of their favorite family traditions–and you can too!
Another fun way to celebrate Thanksgiving is to plan a holiday vacation complete with a new and unique or traditional Thanksgiving sit-down meal.
What foods are served at a traditional Thanksgiving dinner?
Thanksgiving dinners traditionally include a roasted turkey with foods similar to those said to be served on the first Thanksgiving. However, the pilgrims did not eat the same foods we put on our Thanksgiving table today. Instead, they more than likely had a feast filled with local fowl, venison, maybe a wild turkey or two, and seasonal foods that they could grow, harvest, and prepare with the limited resources they had available.
Today, a traditional Thanksgiving menu often includes traditional Thanksgiving side dishes such as potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, pumpkin pie, corn, green beans, and other seasonal vegetables associated with the fall harvest.
Of course, the traditional Thanksgiving food items served for Thanksgiving dinner can vary from family to family and table to table. For example, my family’s potatoes must be served mashed with homemade gravy. In contrast, my husband’s family always included candied yams or sweet potatoes as a part of their traditional Thanksgiving meal. While other families substitute a sweet potato casserole or include at least two of the above!
Today our family likes to include local organically grown foods, from our local farmers’ market, in our traditional Thanksgiving dinner. So, going to the Farmers’ market before Thanksgiving to pick local fresh foods for our Thanksgiving meal is a family tradition that we enjoy every year.
Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Menu with Recipes:
Celebrate Thanksgiving with delicious traditional foods and dishes. Click on the blue hyperlinked text for the recipe and cooking directions for each traditional Thanksgiving menu item listed below.
- Oven-roasted turkey or vegetarian option.
- Stuffing cooked inside the turkey. Stuffing is traditionally made with cornbread; however, several other delicious variations exist today.
- Potatoes (sweet, gold, red, or yams); mashed, scalloped, baked, roasted, candied yams, etc.
- Turkey gravy – made with freshly roasted turkey drippings.
- Cranberry sauce; whole berries
, jellied, or another cranberry alternative. Or, try our pumpkin bread made with whole fresh cranberries. - A seasonal vegetable side dish made with corn, green beans, etc.
- And don’t forget apple, pecan, or Pumpkin pie for dessert! Make your family’s favorite pumpkin pie recipe with homemade pumpkin puree for a fresh-from-the-garden taste you can’t get out of a can!
, 
, or another cranberry alternative. Or, try our When Thanksgiving dinner is over, make it a tradition to put the leftover turkey carcass in a stockpot
to make homemade poultry stock for leftover turkey soup! And don’t forget the tradition of making homemade turkey sandwiches the day after Thanksgiving–Yum!
2. Plan a destination vacation and make it a family tradition for Thanksgiving.
Don’t you think starting a destination vacation Thanksgiving tradition with your family would be fun? It’s a Thanksgiving experience gift the whole family can enjoy year after year!
My brother and I will never forget the year our father took us to Disneyland for Thanksgiving vacation. We stayed in the Disneyland Hotel and had a table reserved for Thanksgiving Dinner in the grand ballroom.
If you like to cook your own traditional Thanksgiving meal as a part of your Thanksgiving traditions, rent a house, condo, or cabin with a full kitchen and prepare to purchase food and a few cooking supplies.
I know a few families that make a destination vacation a family tradition instead of hosting a family meal and doing all the dishes– and they swear by it. Some families choose the same vacation spot every year, while others prefer a new Thanksgiving destination vacation each year.
Related: Gift Exchange Ideas and Gift-Giving Traditions
3. Make a thankful tree for Thanksgiving.
A thankful tree is a Thanksgiving decoration that the whole family can make and decorate together. There are many ways to design and use a thankful tree. They can be as simple as a printable craft you make and hang on a bulletin board, frame, or fridge. Or as elaborate as a Thanksgiving table centerpiece or a gorgeous piece of DIY Thanksgiving home decor.
The one thing that they all have in common is cultivating an attitude of gratitude in the home. And making and decorating one is a Thanksgiving tradition the whole family can enjoy. Some people put their thankful tree up on the first of November to use as a Thanksgiving advent. Write things you are most grateful for throughout the month and add them to your Thankful tree to decorate.
Other families place their Thankful tree on the Thanksgiving dinner table as an interactive centerpiece and encourage their guests to decorate it while they wait for dinner to be served. Another option is a DIY gratitude mobile.
Look at the gratitude tree ideas listed below, or click the link to learn more about the thankful tree tradition and see even more ideas!
Our family loves decorating trees so much that we have three DIY tutorials that share how to make different thankful trees for Thanksgiving. One of our Thankful trees is an easy printable craft that children can easily make on their own, while another is made with bare branches and freshly fallen preserved autumn leaves, and the other has clay gratitude leaves.
We also decorate an Easter Tree in the spring, a butterfly tree in the summer, thankful trees in the fall, and of course, a Christmas tree filled with homemade Christmas ornaments in the winter. Click on the links for directions to each DIY tree trimming project.
Related: Best Fall Art Projects
4. Decorate for Thanksgiving or harvest with fall decor.
Use any DIY and ready-made Thanksgiving decoration ideas from the list below to add a festive touch to your home and Thanksgiving celebrations.
DIY and Readymade Thanksgiving Decorations:
- Decorate with gourds and pumpkins from your local pumpkin patch
- Thankful Turkey Printable Thanksgiving Placemats to Color
- Turkey leaf mason jar lanterns (pictured below)
- DIY Thankful trees
- Indian corn wreath DIY
- How to Make a Canning jar lid pumpkin
- Thanksgiving table runner
- Burlap “Give Thanks” garland
- Thanksgiving decorations
- Lighted fall garland
- Fall wreath
5. Make an embroidered Thanksgiving tablecloth.
Make an embroidered Thanksgiving tablecloth that you reuse traditionally year after year with this fun idea. A hand-embroidered tablecloth with everyone’s names hand sewn into it as members are added to the family is a lovely homemade keepsake and a festive holiday decoration. And, because a hand-embroidered Thanksgiving tablecloth can be passed down from generation to generation, it can become a treasured heirloom and family tradition for years to come!
How to make a hand-embroidered tablecloth:
- First, find a white, 100% cotton tablecloth that will fit your family table.
- Next, ask the family to carefully sign it with their name, a short prayer, or a thanksgiving blessing.
- And finally, trace what they have written with embroidery thread and your favorite hand-sewing stitches.
that will fit your family table. 6. Go to a fall harvest celebration or autumn fair.
Another fun thing to do in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving is to attend a harvest celebration or fair. Check your local family resource guide or ask google about a harvest fair near you.
7. Read children’s Thanksgiving books & books about the fall with children.
We have compiled an impressive book list of children’s Thanksgiving gratitude books that inspire thankfulness and fall books for kids that you can read with your kids.
8. Attend (or watch) a Thanksgiving Day parade.
Does your city or town put on a Thanksgiving day parade? Sign up to join the procession or bring the family to watch it. The Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade in New Your City is the quintessential Thanksgiving day parade. And, if taking the whole family to New York City is not in your travel plans this year, watch it on TV, or attend a local Thanksgiving day parade!
9. Serve those in need: volunteer at homeless shelters.
On Thanksgiving, a lovely tradition is to take the time to serve those in need. So sign the family up to volunteer in homeless shelters, soup kitchens, meals on wheels, or other organizations serving food to those less fortunate. They always appreciate a few extra helping hands to ensure everyone gets fed on Thanksgiving.
10. Visit a local farm (or Farmer’s Market).
A fun thing to do for the Thanksgiving harvest is to visit a local farm. Traditional ideas include a trip to your local pumpkin patch, corn maze, or apple orchard.
The pilgrims served locally grown, freshly harvested foods for their first Thanksgiving, and we can too! So give thanks for the bounty of the harvest, just like the pilgrims, by providing locally harvested and raised food on your Thanksgiving table.
Make it a family tradition to gather fresh, locally raised, and grown foods for your Thanksgiving dinner. If traveling to a local farm to collect fares for your feast is impossible, take the family to your local farmers market to purchase organically grown and raised foods.
11. Enter a Thanksgiving “Turkey Trot” or another race or Harvest event.
A turkey trot is a running race that usually occurs on Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving, or during Thanksgiving weekend all over the United States. This tradition started to combat the “stuffed” feeling many Americans feel after gorging on a traditional Thanksgiving meal.
Enter a turkey trot near you to burn off any extra calories you may have gained from eating a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Invite your family to join you if they are willing. A little friendly family competition keeps a family happy and healthy.
Find a turkey trot near you HERE!
12. Give thanks around the table during your Thanksgiving meal.
Many family members like to share what they are grateful for as they sit around the Thanksgiving table enjoying a traditional Thanksgiving meal together.
Designate a talking stick or another item to pass around the table to signify the sharer, and take turns sharing at least one thing you are grateful for. Or, download and print these cute Thanksgiving Coloring Placemats and invite children and other guests to make and color them while they wait for dinner to be served!
Alternatively, you can take turns writing words of gratitude on leaves and hanging them on a thankful tree. For more thankful ideas, look at this fun list of gratitude activities and the Thanksgiving gratitude activities you can try below.
Related: I am Grateful FREE Gratitude Journal Printable
13. Express gratitude with thankful Thanksgiving activities and crafts.
One of my family’s favorite Thanksgiving traditions is sharing all that we have to be thankful for with each other on Thanksgiving. Get our printable thankful turkey coloring page for an easy Thanksgiving gratitude activity the whole family can enjoy.
Or, download and print the same thankful turkey to make homemade Thanksgiving Coloring Placemats. Invite children (and other guests) to make and color them while they wait for dinner to be served. Or look at this fun list of gratitude activities and crafts you can try for Thanksgiving–click on the link to see them all!
14. Go for a walk after your Thanksgiving meal.
Like turkey trot races, this Thanksgiving tradition got people outside to move their bodies and burn off some excess calories that a traditional Thanksgiving menu provides.
Go for a stroll with the whole family after your Thanksgiving dinner to enjoy the seasonal sights that make autumn a gorgeous time of the year. Enjoy a fall scavenger hunt with the kids while you are out there!
15. Host a family game night or play Thanksgiving games.
A classic family Thanksgiving tradition is to play Thanksgiving games or host a family game night. Playing board games is a fun thing to do on Thanksgiving and a great way to pass the time with the family while waiting for a delicious Thanksgiving meal to cook. So, try the Thanksgiving gratitude games in THIS post or the list of thankful games HERE (click either link) or pick a new board game for the whole family to enjoy!
Related: Social-Emotional Development Games for Kids
16. Invite kids (and adults) to make Thanksgiving crafts.
Spend time connecting with your children over the break with traditional Thanksgiving crafts. Try traditional Thanksgiving gratitude crafts, such as a gratitude jar or thankful tree on the list–>HERE! Or, click on the creator of the homemade Thanksgiving crafts on the list below for step-by-step instructions. We hope you enjoy either list of Thanksgiving craft ideas kids can make!
- DIY Thanksgiving Placemats | Rhythms of Play
- Turkey Mason Jar Lantern | Rhythms of Play
- Harvest Pumpkin Watercolor Art | Rhythms of Play
- Burlap Handprint Turkey Placemats | Meaningful Mama
- Gratitude Mobile | Rhythms of Play
- Turkey Leaf Crafts
- Handprint and Footprint Turkey Craft
- Thanksgiving Apple Turkey Craft
- Clay Gratitude Leaves
- Thanksgiving Thankful Turkey Craft Kit
17. Watch a Thanksgiving movie.
When I was a child, one of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions was watching “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
” with my brothers every year when it aired on Television. Check your local listings to find out when it’s airing on TV this year, or purchase your own copy!
18. Make a wish on the turkey wishbone.
Allow two family members to pull apart the turkey wishbone as they make a wish. The person that breaks off the biggest piece of the wishbone will have their wish granted. If the wishbone cracks evenly, both people will have their wish come true!
Related: The Best Fall Nature Crafts
19. Watch or play football.
For some families, football games and Thanksgiving traditions go together, like the mashed potatoes and gravy on their Thanksgiving dinner plate. Host a family football game, or turn on the TV to watch the kick-off with the whole family while waiting for your Thanksgiving feast to cook.
20. Go to Thanksgiving services.
Many churches, synagog temples, and other places of worship hold a unique service on or around Thanksgiving. Find one near you to attend with the whole family.
Related: Fun Family Christmas Traditions for a Magical Holiday
Day After Thanksgiving Traditions in The United States
Here are a few modern-day after-Thanksgiving traditions that some families choose to celebrate in the United States of America that are not typically celebrated in Canada.
1. Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving tradition)
The most well-known day after Thanksgiving tradition in America is Black Friday. In 2022, Black Friday will be on Friday, 25 November. On this day, most major retailers open extremely early, often at midnight or earlier, to offer sales, lowered prices, and deals that companies claim you won’t find any other day of the year.
If you are curious about its origins, the Philadelphia Police Department originally called it Black Friday because the number of shoppers created traffic accidents and sometimes even violence. Another reason that the day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday is that retailers finally move out of the red and into the black. In other words, most retailers begin to turn a profit after Thanksgiving.
2. #OptOutside (get outside on the day after Thanksgiving)!
My immediate family loves the new #OptOutside Thanksgiving tradition. As nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts, we have always spent the day enjoying the great outdoors instead of heading inside to shop. And in 2015, an outdoor retailer known as REI decided to close its stores on Black Friday and challenged everyone to #OptOutside instead.
In other words, they encouraged the world to get outside to do what they love out of doors and enjoy the holiday weekend with family outside instead of shopping on Black Friday.
And since 2015, REI (and a few other awesome companies) keep their stores closed on the biggest shopping day of the year and pay all their employees to spend time outdoors with family and friends instead. (source)
Maybe you and your family will also get outside with us on Black Friday! #OptOutside with any of these fun outdoor activities!
Thanksgiving Traditions and Fun Things to do on Thanksgiving Day
We hope you enjoyed learning more about Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving traditions, and fun things to do on Thanksgiving and the day after Thanksgiving.
Remember, the traditional things we do with our friends and family hold the most meaning and create vivid memories to last a lifetime. Look at our fall bucket list seasonal activity guide for even more ideas.
Have a happy Thanksgiving! Learn more about Rhythms of Play HERE!
I love thanksgiving
So do I Jasmine! It’s my favorite meal of the year!
I know right I always get out my Christmas stuff!!!
You’re not alone, Enriqueta!
That’s why we focus on giving thanks and finding gratitude throughout the entire winter holiday season. This vital message mustn’t get lost along the way.
Happy holidays!