The big day is right around the corner, turkey day! Thanksgiving is that special time of year we meet with friends and family we don’t get to see as often as we’d like during the year. It’s a time of delicious foods, catching up with each other, and celebrating our own unique and time honored traditions. Whether it is to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or play flag football in the yard, we all have traditions that make Thanksgiving special. It’s these traditions we look forward to every year, well, that and stuffing. Traditions get started by one great idea that develops and grows over time. What kinds of traditions does your family celebrate? Have you had to go out for Chinese turkey after the Bumpas hounds broke in and stole yours like Ralphie and Randy? Do you always buy a secret extra pumpkin pie because you know your aunts will start arguing over Monopoly real estate and burn the first one? Why not this year try and get some new traditions started to pass down year after year. Here are a few ideas that may be a big hit at your Thanksgiving!
1) Go Local!
Does your city have a local parade or family fun run they put on? Lots of cities love to host events like this, and whether it be the Macy’s day or just the local marching band a parade is always a great activity everyone can get behind. A short family fun run can be a good to help keep those unwanted pounds away from extra helpings of mashed potatoes and gravy.
2) Book of Thanks
Buy blank photo album or scrapbook. You can have your guests write something they were thankful for that year. Then, grab a group snapshot to stick in the book and repeat year after year. It’s always fun to take a trip down memory lane looking at photographs and seeing how we grown and change from year to year.
3) Hammock Lounge
Many families enjoy spending time outside around Thanksgiving; perhaps you could set up a hammocking hangout spot. Believe it or not, some of us have never felt the joy of swinging in a brightly colored ENO hammock. Tragic…I know. Set one up to see if Uncle David or Aunt Lucy may want to take a break from slaving over the turkey and pumpkin pie, and give it a go. If anything, it may be a good idea to have multiple hammocks ready in case of emergency tryptophan overload.
4) Give Back
Thanksgiving for many of us is a time of overindulgence. It’s always a wonderful time of year to think about giving back to those in need. Organize your group to perhaps bring extra gently used coats or blankets to your Thanksgiving to donate to local shelters . Or maybe make an extra turkey or pie to help out those who may not have their own this year. Tis’ the season, and giving back always a wonderful tradition to start embracing.
Some traditions get started by accident; others are passed down from generation to generation and are uniquely altered throughout the years. Hopefully this year alongside all the oldie but goodie traditions, you’ll test out a few new ones to see what sticks.
Whatever your traditions may be, we hope you have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving from all of us at ENO!
