This post is all about how to romanticize Thanksgiving with family!
Thanksgiving can be one of the best holidays of the year! With food and football, it’s hard to go wrong. You can make Thanksgiving even more special for your family by adding special traditions to the holiday celebrations. Here are 9 incredible ways to romanticize Thanksgiving with family!
Romanticize Thanksgiving with Family
Sign the tablecloth
My aunt has a special white tablecloth that she only pulls out for Thanksgiving day. Whoever is at the table for Thanksgiving gets to sign their name and the year on the tablecloth!
Imagine pulling out your special Thanksgiving tablecloth each year and reminiscing on past holidays. Your kids and guests will be able to see who has come before and hear stories of other family members or friends. What a special way to keep your loved ones in mind!
Need a simple white tablecloth to start this tradition? Try this one from Amazon.
Share what you’re thankful for
An easy way to romanticize Thanksgiving with family and capture the meaning of the holiday is to invite everyone to share what they’re thankful for!
You can go around the table and take turns talking about what you’re thankful for. You can challenge people to not repeat each other or to share more than 1 thing. If you have little kids, include them by drawing what they are thankful for!
Recipes from ancestors
One of the best parts of Thanksgiving is the incredible food we get to eat, right?! You may use some recipes that have been passed down for generations. A sentimental way to romanticize Thanksgiving with family is to share stories of the ancestors who made these recipes before!
Your kids might not know the grandma who used to bake these delicious rolls, but you can easily share a quick story about that grandma while her grandchildren eat her famous rolls. How sweet is that?
Go on a walk
Another great part of the Thanksgiving holiday is that it’s during fall – perhaps the prettiest season of the year! You can romanticize Thanksgiving with family by taking a walk to admire the beautiful leaves and scenery at this time of year.
If you have a baby and don’t want to pack a stroller, try a baby carrier! We love this one from Amazon, which works perfectly for mom and dad.
For newborns, I love using a SollyBaby wrap. This wrap is perfect for wearing your baby all Thanksgiving long, especially if you don’t want other family members to hold your newborn (not today, flu season!)
Bless the food
A really simple way to romanticize Thanksgiving with family is to bless the food before you eat. Whether you often pray or not, sharing a special Thanksgiving prayer over the food is a perfect way to be intentional and grateful this holiday season.
Play or watch football
Of course, another great part of Thanksgiving is the football on all day long! You can romanticize Thanksgiving with family by including everyone in the football traditions.
You might let the kids play in the family turkey bowl or cheer for different teams on the sidelines.
If your family loves to watch professional football, you could get everyone matching hats for the football team they love, or place bets against each other about which team will win. Loser gets to wash the dishes!
Bake and cook together
A great way to promote family bonding during Thanksgiving is to allow everyone to help in the kitchen! There are plenty of dishes to cook and bake, so you can turn it into a family affair and assign everyone jobs. While you work together, it’s the perfect time to chat and create memories.
Have a little one who wants to help? Consider getting this counter stool, complete with a bar that helps prevent falling! Linked here.
Pie per person or special side dish
One of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions is that my family makes a pie per person! Every year before we gather, we get a head count of how many people will come to Thanksgiving so that enough pies are made to match the number of people in attendance. Some years, we’ve had over twenty pies! This tradition is so fun because we all love pie, and sometimes we’ve had to get creative with pie flavors in order to make enough. Rhubarb pie, anyone? It’s actually quite tasty!
Not into pies as much? You might add a different ‘food tradition’ to your Thanksgiving menu. You can try something new, make the turkey a new way each year, or serve a unique side dish at every Thanksgiving. As long as it fits your family and what they love, this tradition can be super special to you!
Play a family favorite game
Now that the family is together, it’s time to bust out some of your favorite party games!
Some of our favorites are Telestrations, Reverse Charades, and Things.
Put on a cozy movie
If you’re not into games (or sick of grandpa winning Monopoly every year), you might try putting on a cozy movie instead.
Here’s a list of some cozy movie ideas:
Enjoyed this list? Check out this post, which includes a few more ideas on how to make a movie night super cozy: The Ultimate Fall Movie List for the Coziest Autumn Evenings
Family picture
Finally, don’t forget to commemorate your special day by taking a family picture. You might try and take the same type of picture every year so you can see the kids grow!
Want to include everybody? Try using this tripod and bluetooth remote! Linked here.
Bonus!
While you enjoy all of your Thanksgiving activities, you can put on the song ‘Thanksgiving Day’ by Ben Rector to really set the mood. It’s the perfect song to enjoy with your family during the holiday!
Happy holidays, don’t name the turkey.
