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Thanksgiving tradition ideas matter because the holiday only comes once every year. Bigger or equal to Christmas or any other festivity, it’s when people come together. Families and even friends gather to commemorate the harvest season. After all, the hallmark of this day is to show gratitude. Yet expressing thankfulness can be great to be interesting too. Hence, it could help to try or create new traditions this Thanksgiving.
It doesn’t have to be the same thing every last Thursday of November when celebrating the day. In this blog post, we’re going to share with you some quirky concepts to observe the festival of plenty. With them, you won’t have to stick to conventional meals with turkey, veggies, and stuffing only. Plus, with such recommendations, you could make yourself and others happy too. So stick around for some Lighthearted Thanksgiving ideas for family gatherings.
1. Make Prayers Part Of Thanksgiving Tradition Ideas
Before eating meals together with loved ones, try to say grace first. Shortly after eating, you may try to have short prayers too. This is even one of the great Thanksgiving ideas for family gatherings. After all, this day focuses on appreciating blessings. Hence, it would be wise to give thanks. It doesn’t even have to be religious, considering that the day is a secular holiday. But prayer must be sincere to express positive feelings. So it’s always a nice thing when the host or guests say invocations or show gratefulness.
Saying a few words to call on and thank a higher being or giving thanks to good fortune helps a lot. In a way, the act brings people together and makes them feel fortunate. It can even be the center of faith and nonreligious traditions. Thus some short and simple yet meaningful prayers can be a suitable activity to include.
2. Bond With Blood Relatives
Invite familiar yet distant relatives to observe the holiday with you at home. You can also call up those whom you know can’t come over. Bear in mind that it’s possible to do virtual gatherings nowadays. Bonding with family members already gives something to be thankful for. Often, it’s not every day that people get to talk to family. Some are so busy that it becomes rare to talk to parents, siblings, uncles, aunts, and grandparents. It’s a privilege to get family members united and caring for one another. Hence, it’s one of the Thanksgiving tradition ideas you could try when the day comes.
People own mobile gadgets that connect to the internet and social media sites these days. So today it’s quite convenient to reach out to faraway relatives. But, with this approach, make sure that you send invitations weeks or even months in advance. After all, some people may have unique plans for their Thanksgiving celebration. Also, if you’re going to request the company of your extended family, be ready to be accommodating. If you can’t provide for their overnight lodging, at least make sure there’s always enough food to eat. You can also try to have your meals together with those who are far away by audio or video chat. That would be to establish close family ties. So it’s clear why it’s one of the worth it Thanksgiving ideas for family gatherings.
3. Include Movies As Thanksgiving Tradition Ideas
Making certain films a part of the celebration is also a superb thing to do. That is whether people are in one place or connected through online chatting. It makes one of the most practical Thanksgiving tradition ideas since it helps with a few things. For one, movies provide quality entertainment for guests coming over during meals. It will still work even if those far from you would watch the same flick while over where they are. Another thing that’s great about films is that preoccupy folks while on a full stomach. Hence, it’s quite sensible to put on motion pictures in the background during the holiday.
But it’s important to choose what movies to play during Thanksgiving. For the most part, it makes sense to put on titles that promote gratefulness as their theme. One example of this is a 1973 classic TV special called “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving“. It’s because it shows that there are many things to be thankful for. Another animated comedy flick is “Free Birds” from 2013. It doesn’t convey the same message as the previous movie but it’s a funny movie to watch. Still, other old films like “The Godfather” of 1972 can be an excellent choice too. After all, its central theme may be power but it emphasizes loyalty to family. So there are many flicks to choose from for the Thanksgiving holiday.
4. Invite Friends Over
Instead of having family members only, you have the option to call friends to come too. Unless this would cause issues with your family members, you can be creative and ask others over. Some of your constant companions and colleagues may be free to visit you anyway. Inviting them may celebrate your thankfulness to have them around too. Hence, asking pals to come can also be one of the clever Thanksgiving ideas for family gatherings.
During the festivity, it may be more fun to enjoy seasonal favorites with extra people. It’s also an example of Thanksgiving tradition ideas that help avoid food wastage. Your circle of friends would appreciate your gesture of making them important too. Another benefit is that this builds if not strengthens trust and closeness. Still, the presence of a lot of people in one gathering leads to many good conversations. So, if you don’t want to have a dull moment during the festival of plenty, get some friends to attend your gathering.
5. Music For Your Thanksgiving Tradition Ideas
Beautiful sounds can make family gatherings more special. After all, songs and instrumental tunes can influence the mood of an assembly. With the right ambiance, the environment becomes cozier. Slow music may even affect people’s appetite and get them to eat more. But, to set the feeling of the place right, use songs that relate to the festivity. That is to say, try using sounds with a slow tempo and low pitch. Yet don’t hesitate to use lively music if it’s appropriate for the occasion. After all, whatever celebrates Thanksgiving right is best for the holiday.
With the wide selection of sounds available, so many musical pieces may be right for the event. Usually, folks recommend jazzy tunes for Thanksgiving ideas for family gatherings. An example of this is the “Thanksgiving Theme” by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. For a bit of slow-paced country music, “Almost Thanksgiving Day” by Graham Parker is a good choice too. It details people’s usual experiences with the holiday. Mary Chapin Carpenter also has a meaningful and most suitable song. Its title is “Thanksgiving Song” and it encourages togetherness, forgiveness, and thankfulness. More of these songs are around and great for eating and other activities. So there’s always something to keep the mood right during the festivity because of them.
6. Dine Outdoors At Home
Changing your dining arrangement can be one of your Thanksgiving tradition ideas. Instead of eating indoors, if you have the space for it, you could try eating outside. Al fresco dining can be great for family celebrations since it allows exposure to fresh air. Besides, having meals or even snacks in the open air can be quite relaxing. Plus, you can mix it with other outdoor activities too. Thus trying to put tables, eating utensils, and more on the patio can be a great idea.
Besides, eating outside allows more room. After all, you won’t have to consider being around furniture pieces and appliances. So aren’t many things to worry about anymore and even children can have fun while the celebration goes on. It’s only that, with this approach, it’s important to celebrate in areas fit for eating. That is to say, do this only when there are outdoor dining furniture pieces around. Also, to make everything festive, try serving in decorative pots, pans, and utensils. In that way, you could make Thanksgiving Day merry, tasty, and fun at the same time.
7. Try New Dishes Or Find A Restaurant
Other Thanksgiving tradition ideas you could try involve trying new food. That is to say, you could come up with new recipes or look for a good restaurant to celebrate the holiday. It’s curious and delightful to have more than traditional dishes. Hence, be creative and don’t stick to roasted turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin dishes alone. If you don’t have time to cook, you can always look for a place that serves gastronomical cuisines. After that, you can order takeout food or try eating with your family there. So even distinctive options with what and where to eat are also present.
Mixing traditional dishes with foreign food is fine since the goal of the day is to be grateful. Having various courses on the table is even something to feel blessed about. Also, ordering food from a restaurant makes everything easy. Take note that cooking takes a lot of time and effort. Plus, when you buy cooked dishes, you often get food that has exceptional taste. You only need to inform your family of your plan and make reservations to ensure your spot on the day itself.
All Things Considered
Thanksgiving tradition ideas make our time with our family and friends more memorable. That’s why it often pays to try something new even when celebrating a familiar holiday. Whether you’re the host or attending a reunion, you can honor the day in interesting ways. Saying prayers before and after meals and putting on music and playing films helps. Eating unconventional food and doing so outside or elsewhere can be great too. This is whether your guests are family members alone or you’re with some friends. So a few unique thanksgiving tradition ideas can change everything for the better.
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