Traditions To Make Your Thanksgiving Special
By, Sarah N.
My squad members and I were recently talking about Thanksgiving and most of us expressed feelings of frustration and irritation surrounding the holiday. We realized that for some, Thanksgiving has become merely a meal that requires hours of preparation and travel plans just to be eaten in 20 minutes and then forgotten. I won’t even get into the consumerism that is “Black Friday.” And it seems like increasingly, Christmas is closing in on Thanksgiving from both sides.
Our conversation drifted to favorite traditions from childhood and potential new traditions that we would like to introduce to our families. All of these stood out from the typical “eat, nap, watch football, and shop” in that they required more quality time and intentionality and less stress and pressure to conform. I’m not saying anything is wrong with the “typical” but sometimes we just want something different.
Here is a list of unique traditions that we love or would love to implement. Some are diy’s, some are recipes, and some are activities. Our hope is that Thanksgiving becomes a more meaningful time of connection for you and your family.
1. Non-traditional Meal: My (Sarah N.) family is small and none of us even really like traditional turkey and dressing, etc. We have enjoyed many unique Thanksgiving meals like turkey chili, steak, or my favorite- Mexican food. We don’t feel pressured to cook a giant meal that nobody even wants to eat, and instead make memories by trying new things together.
2. Special Heirlooms: Story time! Heather’s Thanksgiving memories center around her grandmother’s china that she served dinner on each year. She said that as a child she would stare at the plates and bowls, admiring their beauty. Those dishes were sadly destroyed in a house fire, but Heather always remembered them and looked for some like them for years until one day, she walked up to a table in an antique store that was perfectly set with the same china. In tears, Heather was immediately transported back to Thanksgiving at her grandmother’s. Of course she bought those dishes and now serves Thanksgiving meals on them to her own family. This story goes to show that simple things like the plates we eat from can become meaningful traditions. It doesn’t have to be fine china, it could be a serving dish, a decoration, or anything that is seen or used each year.
3. Special recipes: Recipes may seem like a “typical” tradition, but in our world of pre-made, order-in food, it is special to make at least one thing together every year. All of us spoke of special dishes that were made or are made at our family Thanksgivings, and how it just doesn’t feel right without them. Sarah S told us about how her husband’s grandma makes overnight crescent rolls each year and the (adult!) siblings will literally fight over them! She makes about 100 of them and they disappear instantly. Sarah has the handwritten recipe card, and if she’s anything like me, she will cherish that card nearly as much as the memories. Sara C makes pumpkin pie with a real pumpkin and serves homemade whipped cream with it each year. It may be more work than store bought pies, but her entire family loves it and looks forward to it every year. You can find the recipe she uses here.
4. Cooking Together: A big part of what makes Sara’s pumpkin pie recipe special is that she makes it with her daughters every year. She said that as soon as pumpkins start showing up in the grocery stores, her kids start talking about Thanksgiving and making their pie together. Their time together working on something special is something that they will always remember. It doesn’t necessarily have to be cooking together, because the point is working together on a special project, so maybe you like making crafts or maybe you use the time around Thanksgiving to decorate for Christmas together.
5. Gratefulness table runner: This is one of my favorite traditions that I haven’t tried yet, since Thanksgiving is never at my own house. The idea comes from @honeyholden, whom I follow on Instagram. She made a table runner (but you could definitely buy a solid color one), and since 2008, her family has written messages of gratitude all over it. Every year they come back to her home for Thanksgiving, they read over the previous years’ thankfulness and add more.
6. Musical Memories: Renata’s family is musical on both sides, and she remembers Thanksgivings spent playing instruments and singing hymns and other songs. It’s a beautiful way for both sides of her family to bond and is something everyone can enjoy, whether they play their own instruments or not. If your family isn’t musically inclined, there’s countless other ways to spend time together sharing talents and hobbies- maybe crafting, puzzles, playing board games, playing football, or going for a hike.
7. Thanksgiving Book Bin: Something I do at my house during all seasons is a holiday themed book bin. I collect seasonal childrens’ books throughout the year at thrift stores and clearance aisles and change them out depending on which holiday is approaching. I am always surprised at how many books about Thanksgiving there are (and not all of them are about the first thanksgiving)! When I leave these books in a basket in the living room, my kids are always excited to see the “new” books and we get to read together and sometimes learn together about holidays and seasons. It’s just a small way to make us slow down and prepare for the holiday. Some of my favorite Thanksgiving books are A Turkey For Thanksgiving, by Eve Bunting, Mousekin’s Thanksgiving, by Edna Miller, and One Big Turkey, by Anne Vittur Kennedy.
8. Special scent: Scent is one of the most powerful memory retrieval devices. So, especially if you host Thanksgiving each year, it could be a fun idea to pick a signature scent that you repeat every year, like a favorite candle. Or maybe there is one you already think of that is associated with the holiday. For me, it’s apple cider with mulling spices simmering on the stove. That smell always makes me think of Thanksgiving and enjoying time with my family. When I’m not with them, I like to put on a pot of apple cider and let the scent bring back that feeling of comfort. If you don’t like to drink cider, but want a more natural way to create a scent, make a simmer pot like in the photo above. While you can never completely control which scent your family will latch onto, chances are, having one specific smell every year will have a strong effect.
9. Gratitude Postcards: This idea is simple, but it’s a great way to involve our children in expressing gratitude in an outward way. Rather than just saying what we are thankful for while sitting around the table, we can show our kids how impactful it can be to write special messages of gratitude to people they know. Simply cut cardstock to size (actual postcards are 4×6 inches) and let your children decorate with simple drawings, handprint turkeys, stickers, or any other design. On the back of the card, they can write (or you can transcribe) their messages and then either hand-deliver or mail the cards to the recipients. People aren’t used to getting personal messages of gratitude, much less handwritten notes, so they’re guaranteed to love this thoughtful gift! Feel free to save the image below and then print and color it if you don’t want to make something from scratch. Just write the message on the back of the printed paper!
We wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving, and hope some of these ideas help you make special memories with your loved ones!
