Bored by the usual Thanksgiving traditions? Check out these 5 new Thanksgiving traditions to start and make your Thanksgiving Day more memorable.
Holidays are all about traditions, and Thanksgiving is no exception. In fact, it’s one of the many reasons why you look forward to them.
Chances are, you and your family have your way of celebrating Thanksgiving. The Thanksgiving dinner menu you prepare is just how your mom used to make. It is the same person that has the honor of carving the Thanksgiving turkey. Even the anticipated debate as to who gets the Pope’s Nose, and what to watch after dinner are all part of your family’s traditional Thanksgiving celebration.
Ironically, traditions can also make Thanksgiving Day and other holidays to become more of a routine for your than a celebration. Keeping up with these traditions can also make you lose all the thrill to the point that it becomes a stressful chore for you to do every year.
Tweaking your routine is one way to bring back the excitement and enjoyment in anything, including Thanksgiving Day. Here are five Thanksgiving ideas that you can use to start a new tradition in your family to bring back the spice to your Thanksgiving holiday celebration.
5 Thanksgiving Traditions to Try
Do Thanksgiving the old-fashioned way
Back in the olden days, dinner was eaten in the early afternoon. This was perhaps one of the reasons why the first Thanksgiving dinner was held outdoors. While many people continue carrying on with the tradition of eating their Thanksgiving feast in the afternoon, they now usually have the festivities and the celebration indoors.
Having your Thanksgiving dinner outside in your backyard is an easy way of tweaking things to make it more memorable. This not only makes the whole affair more casual and comfortable for you and your guests. It also gives you a perfect excuse to use disposable plates, cups, and utensils. That makes it much easier for you clean up after and get a well-deserved rest after slaving away in the kitchen all day.
Fire up the grill
Your outdoor barbecue grill isn’t just for steaks and burgers. You can use it to cook anything, including a whole turkey and even pies. The best part of this is that you don’t need to change anything in any of your favorite Thanksgiving meal recipes.
Using your outdoor grill to prepare your Thanksgiving dinner menu doubles up as a source of entertainment for your guests. There is just something about grilling that gets the men and kids to gather around it, and even lend a hand to prepare the much-anticipated meal.
Add a new dish
Did you know that a lot of the traditional Thanksgiving food we prepare like roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie was only added to the Thanksgiving menu centuries after the first Thanksgiving?
That said, why not carry on with this “tradition” by adding something new to your Thanksgiving menu this year? For instance, you could add a comforting bowl of jambalaya to celebrate your Southern heritage or some sticky rice pudding for dessert if you or your spouse is of Asian descent. Or perhaps you want to make your friends feel less guilty about indulging on Thanksgiving by serving something light and healthy.
Changing up your Thanksgiving dinner menu will keep your friends and family guessing and looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving with you.
Throw a Thanksgiving Day spa party
Spa parties are usually held during the summer time; so inviting your friends and family to a Thanksgiving Day spa party will get their attention. A few may even find it a bit crazy.
But if you live in an area that is warm enough and you got a pool heater, why not? After all, there are no rules to follow when it comes to celebrating Thanksgiving Day. That would make your Thanksgiving party one that they will never forget.
Add a memorabilia
When it’s time to say good-bye to your friends and family, include a small token in their loot bag of leftovers for them to take home. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or expensive. Something as simple as a handmade card would be a great way of expressing your gratitude for them coming over, which is what Thanksgiving is all about.