Oh I just love family traditions, don’t you?
For me, looking forward to family traditions (and actually doing them) is what gives me that warm fuzzy holiday feeling.
So far we’ve checked off a bunch on our Fall Bucket List.
We’ve gone apple picking, jumped in leaves, ate a few (I mean a lot of) apple cider donuts, carved some pumpkins, and so much more.
Alexa is growing up so fast, just like everyone warned me she would. So I’m really trying to have fun and just soak in everyday.
Making these lists really helps me and holds me accountable because it’s so easy to get lost in the day to day work, cook, clean, and forget to slow down and enjoy the good things in life with my family.
So today I’ve put together a list of Thanksgiving traditions! I hope they give you some inspiration and you make the most out of this holiday season with your family.
Thanksgiving Traditions To Start With Your Family
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Buy the turkey together
Yes you read that right! You’ll pick out your Christmas tree together, why not the turkey?
It might sound a little silly to you, but it’s just about getting out of the house and being together.
And you can get silly with it! Make it fun!
If your kids find a turkey they like say that’s too big, that’s too small, that one look like it’s name was Fred, I don’t think Fred’s taste good!
Or pretend you’re on a turkey hunt! When you get close tell your kids to be really quite, point to the turkeys and tell them to go catch one.
I know it can be hard, but you just have to dig deep into your inner child. That imagination is still in there!
Make it memorable, do whatever you can to get those giggles out of your little ones that you love to hear so much and I promise you they’ll be looking forward to doing it again next year.
Make a menu
Get the family together and put together a Thanksgiving menu!
Ask everyone what their favorite Thanksgiving foods are and brainstorm new recipes.
If you type up the menu then you can have your children decorate a border around it and put it on display for guest to check out before dinner and see what they’ll be having.
Send invitations
If you’re hosting a big thanksgiving at your home for family and friends why not make it more fun by sending out invitations?
You can trace your children’s hands and turn them into turkeys, then put all of the info in the middle.
And why not send the menus you made with the invitations?
You’ll enjoy making these with your kids, they’ll have fun, and your family and friends will love receiving them in the mail!
Do a craft
Or two, or three!
I loved making crafts with the kids when I worked at the daycare and always looked forward to the day I could make them with my own kids.
I’ve made a few with Alexa before, but she’s only just now getting to the age where she enjoys it.
I would like to start sharing my own children craft ideas on here, but our first original craft attempt didn’t go very well.
After that whole mess we’ve decided to stick with the craft experts for a little while longer…
Here are a few we’d like to try this season:
Decorate the house
I feel like a decorated house adds so much fun and excitement to the holidays.
And it’s a fun activity the whole family can look forward to and enjoy together!
It really doesn’t have to be much, but a new table cloth and a couple throw pillows can really change your mood.
Related Reading: Must Have Trendy Decor To Transform Your Home This Fall
Here are a few cute ones this year:
And you can always frame some of your children’s crafts and put them on the shelf as well!
Plan some games
Pumpkin Ring Toss:
You can cut out rings from cardboard and have the kids try to get the rings around the pumpkin stems
Turkey Feather Hunt:
Easy to follow step by step tutorial here.
Make a centerpiece
I really think it would be beautiful to cut some leaf shapes from paper and attach a string.
Them have everyone write something they are thankful for on it and hang them all on something like this for a centerpiece.
Get some exercise
This one is for me and everyone else who’s New Years resolution is always to get healthier.
Why not start now at the beginning of the holiday season?
Make it a Thanksgiving tradition to go for a walk or run that morning before we all stuff our faces for the day!
Cook together
It might not always be easy but teaching kids to cook is a valuable skill.
And the time spent together is time well spent.
Younger kids can help with dumping and stirring and older kids can help with reading recipes or cutting up vegetables.
Why are traditions important?
Family traditions are all about spending time together and making happy memories!
You don’t have to do everything on this list and definitely don’t do anything your family wouldn’t enjoy.
But anything that gets you all doing something together and smiling and laughing is a great family tradition.
What are some Thanksgiving traditions that you enjoy with your family? We want to know so share in the comments below!
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