For many families, Thanksgiving is one of the biggest holidays of the year. People spend months looking forward to the annual feast with family and friends. Significant time and effort go into making the day go off without a hitch – from planning the menu and picking the ingredients to determining who’s going to sit next to who at dinner to minimize the potential for heated conversation.
As one of the biggest holidays, it’s no surprise to see that many families go over-the-top. The goal is to make the day fun and memorable and something you’ll look back on fondly for years to come. But that’s easier said than done – right?
Not necessarily. You might be surprised by how easy it can be to make this Thanksgiving the most memorable one yet. All you need to do is think a little outside the box, and you might be surprised to find out just how fresh this traditional holiday can feel. Need some ideas? Here are a few of my favorite ways to make Thanksgiving memorable:
SERVE UP SOMETHING OTHER THAN TURKEY
The easiest way to make your Thanksgiving a little more memorable is to scrap the traditional turkey and make something more exciting. That can be a spin on the tradition with a turducken, which is a chicken, stuffed inside a duck, stuffed in a turkey – or something totally random, like a seafood feast or a rack of lamb. Either way, a non-traditional menu will definitely stand out as something to remember.
SET UP A THANKSGIVING BOOTH
Photos are a great way to capture memories that you’ll reflect on for years. Give your Thanksgiving dinner attendees a more exciting backdrop than usual by setting up a DIY photo booth. Make a few props and build your own backdrop with some PVC pipe and a sheet, or order one on Amazon.
COORDINATE SOME KIND OF ACTIVITY FOR YOUR GUESTS
Traditionally, Thanksgiving dinners are precisely that – just a dinner. Make it more of an event with a family game tournament, sack races in the backyard, a bake-off, a bingo game, or anything you can come up with to get everyone’s competitive spirit going and have a little fun together. Adults will appreciate an excuse to do something other than discussing politics, and the kiddos in your family will love it, too.
TURN THANKSGIVING INTO A VACATION
A great way to make Thanksgiving more memorable than ever? Put all of the usual traditions on pause and treat your family to a trip. While the pandemic is currently raging, consider a staycation or visiting one of the other 49 states. Take them somewhere exciting and new. Head to a city like Boston, steeped in history, or rent an Airbnb somewhere new and have fun cooking your traditional feast in a totally different setting. For a truly adventurous experience, consider renting an RV for a road trip or taking the family on a camping trip for Turkey Day! Once the pandemic is over, you may consider spending your Thanksgiving somewhere exciting and international, where Thanksgiving isn’t even observed.
As you can see, there are plenty of ways you can make Thanksgiving extra memorable – as long as you’re willing to put in a little extra effort, you can make it happen!
