9 Thanksgiving Day Activities
Thanksgiving is for giving thanks, showing gratitude, and pretending calories don’t matter. But once the dishes are done, the stretchy pants are on, and the kids are getting restless, then what? Rather than surrender to the turkey coma, make meaningful memories with the whole family — both at home and out on the town. Here’s how and where.
Activities for Homebodies
You don’t have to venture far from the couch to have a good time on Thanksgiving. Here are a few homebound ideas your family will give thanks for come Turkey Day.
Football. Turn your backyard into the ultimate Turkey Bowl. Break up into teams for a traditional game of touch or flag football, or create your own family rules with themed uniforms and headgear.
Games. Show who’s tops with good, old-fashioned family fun. From Uno, Codenames, and Ticket to Ride, to Monopoly, Clue, and Scrabble, there’s a board or card game just waiting to stimulate the brain cells.
Gratitude Scavenger Hunt. Feeling sentimental? Gather the crew for a hunt around the house, during which you all look for hidden notes or trinkets etched with what you’re grateful for. Call it The Great Gratitude Quest and keep the tissues nearby.
Tree of Thanks. Use downtime on the big day to set up a mini tree of thanks. Have everyone write on a hanging tag something that makes them feel blessed, then affix those blessings to the tree.
Thanksgiving Movies. Put together a list of Thanksgiving-themed movies from which to randomly draw — that way, no one can complain. Some good ones to include are classics, such as “Dutch”; “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”; and “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.”
Get Out and About
Fearing cabin fever? Whether you crave adventure or just want to get the kids out of the house, there’s an event waiting to entertain you and yours.
Turkey Trots. Several cities host organized fun runs on Thanksgiving morning. (Check online for details in your area.) And since the Texas weather is typically mild in November, there’s no excuse not to lace up and get some exercise with the whole family.
Volunteer. Lend a helping hand at local shelters or community kitchens. Deliver pies to your neighbors and elderly residents nearby. Or volunteer to feed, walk, and play with shelter animals. They, too, deserve to be fed and happy on Thanksgiving.
Go See a Movie. Yes, theaters including AMC, Cinemark, and Alamo Drafthouse are open and screening blockbusters and indie flicks on T-Day. Great films that aid in digestion that weekend include “Wicked: For Good,” “Zootopia 2,” and “Hamnet.”
Hit Up Local Events
No matter where you dwell, there’s a cornucopia of local events to partake in this Thanksgiving. (Look to your city’s official website for happenings in your area). Just to give you an idea of what’s out there, here’s a snippet of events we’re looking forward to across Texas:
- Family Thanksgiving Holiday Getaway at Jellystone Park in Burleson.
- 76th Annual H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade in Houston.
- Cowboys vs. Chiefs in Arlington. Can’t make it? Tour AT&T Stadium instead.
- ThunderCloud Subs Turkey Trot in Austin.
- Sun Bowl Thanksgiving Day Parade in El Paso.
- La Retama Park’s 18-foot holiday tree in Corpus Christi.
- And so many more!
Share the history of the (alleged) first Thanksgiving around the table this year.
