Thanksgiving Ideas

[laronius]

When my family gets together for Thanksgiving dinner there is usually somewhere between 40-50 in attendance. We usually just eat then the kids start running around and the adults just start talking. There's nothing wrong with this but I feel like there ought to be something more. So I'm hoping to get some ideas about what your family likes to do. It can be spiritual or just fun but something to make the experience more than just an elaborate picnic.

[LDSGator]

My extended family growing up was the same size. 

If it wasn’t snowing outside we’d play flag football while those who didn’t want to play would do something crafty inside. Maybe something like that?

Edited November 15, 2021 by LDSGator

[Fether]

1 hour ago, laronius said:

When my family gets together for Thanksgiving dinner there is usually somewhere between 40-50 in attendance. We usually just eat then the kids start running around and the adults just start talking. There's nothing wrong with this but I feel like there ought to be something more. So I'm hoping to get some ideas about what your family likes to do. It can be spiritual or just fun but something to make the experience more than just an elaborate picnic.

Maybe your family is different,  but I don’t see my extended family very often. I would be very upset if someone planned an elaborate activity that got in the way of catching up with my cousins.

My ideal thanksgiving is a game of football in the morning in 10 degree weather, then to home and do absolutely nothing except chat and do whatever we decide to do till 4:00 when we start thanksgiving dinner. Eat till I’m in a coma, then hangout the rest of the evening.

Edited November 15, 2021 by Fether

[mordorbund]

Growing up, the kids would work a puzzle while the adults watched football or just chatted. At some point a group would rally for flag football. If any of those ran out there was always some adventure in the woods.

[Grunt]

We always hunted all morning, then came home in the afternoon for an afternoon Thanksgiving dinner.

[laronius]

16 hours ago, Fether said:

Maybe your family is different,  but I don’t see my extended family very often. I would be very upset if someone planned an elaborate activity that got in the way of catching up with my cousins.

My ideal thanksgiving is a game of football in the morning in 10 degree weather, then to home and do absolutely nothing except chat and do whatever we decide to do till 4:00 when we start thanksgiving dinner. Eat till I’m in a coma, then hangout the rest of the evening.

You are correct. Most of my family lives nearby and this isn't really extended family. This is only siblings and their families so we see each other fairly often. But I wasn't really looking for something terribly time consuming or elaborate either. For instance a couple years ago I put together a slide show of old family photos with funny remarks. Everyone enjoyed it and it seemed to add something more to the occasion.

A funny experience. Some years back a guy from India showed up at church looking for service opportunities. Soon he was coming to church and we became friends. I invited him over for Thanksgiving as he had never experienced it. At the end of the day he says to me: So Thanksgiving is about eating a lot and watching football? I laughed and said pretty much. Of course to someone from India which has some pretty elaborate celebrations this probably seemed pretty underwhelming for one of our major holidays. But it did make me wonder if there was more we could do to enhance the meaning of our celebration. I guess that is what I'm always looking for. Though your version of Thanksgiving sounds pretty good too. 

[Traveler]

When I was growing up the guys all went hunting (usually rabbits).  As a side note - in Utah rabbits are a problem and with civilization the predator population has been depleted and often farmers will provide a bounty for rabbit kills or at least thank us for the service.   When my kids were teenagers we had a grand turkey flag football bowl (brawl) with friends and neighbors in the morning.  If there was snow or rain - the flag football was more fun, wet and less violent. 

Currently we go bowling in the morning and take most of the lanes for our group.  This gives us a chance to say hi to in-laws (and other relatives) we do not like so much.  But then for the thanksgiving feast we divide ourselves up into smaller more congenial groups - 30 or so.  We also go to a son's home that is much bigger than mine and the wife's which means I need to bring tables and folding chairs.  Sometimes - the wife and I will travel out of state to one of our daughters homes to be with them for the holiday - which is usually just a meal, football and lots of catch up visiting. 

 

The Traveler

[Backroads]

We always played card games. At first I scoffed at where you could possibly house 60 people, but then I started doing the math on my own childhood Thanksgivings. 

[Traveler]

3 minutes ago, Backroads said:

We always played card games. At first I scoffed at where you could possibly house 60 people, but then I started doing the math on my own childhood Thanksgivings. 

Ga! I hate card games and yet I married a lady that loves them.  I would rather clean clogged toilets than play a card game - Sorry for the rant. 

 

The Traveler

[laronius]

3 hours ago, Traveler said:

Ga! I hate card games and yet I married a lady that loves them.  I would rather clean clogged toilets than play a card game - Sorry for the rant. 

 

The Traveler

Then you are welcome to my house anytime. You clean and I'll deal. 😃

[LDSGator]

21 hours ago, Traveler said:

Ga! I hate card games and yet I married a lady that loves them.  I would rather clean clogged toilets than play a card game - Sorry for the rant. 

 

The Traveler

 

17 hours ago, laronius said:

Then you are welcome to my house anytime. You clean and I'll deal. 😃

Lol! Both these posts are awesome. Lol 

 

@Traveler-my favorite aunt hates board/card games too and whenever we “argue” I always tell her “I’m going to put you in a home where all they do is play Monopoly all day.” She laughs at the line, it’s all in good fun. 

Edited November 17, 2021 by LDSGator

[Ironhold]

I generally work most, if not all, week long on Thanksgiving week because of local events and how the local newspaper works. 

That's generally a full shift on Monday nights, plus partial shifts on Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday. This is on top of the movie each Friday for review. 

That leaves me perhaps Tuesday and Saturday without issue, but this year I have a dental appointment on Tuesday. 

 

Family time? What family time? 

[Traveler]

19 hours ago, laronius said:

Then you are welcome to my house anytime. You clean and I'll deal. 😃

Please let me clarify a couple of things.  First - just because I am capable of cataloging and categorizing things I dislike in the order I dislike them (See Abraham chapter 3) does not mean that I can be talked into liking something because I dislike something else worse.  Such logic baffles me.  🙄

Second.  I lack the dexterity of my youth but I think I still have enough skill that I could trick you from where in the deck I am dealing the cards.  Cheating with cards is so easy - is one reason I hate card games - the other reason is that in many games of chance it is impossible to win with what was dealt - so many think bluffing (deliberately misrepresenting the truth which is the essence of lying) is the proper action to be taken.

I also dislike talking about people (especially specific individuals).  I would rather talk about wonders of nature, science in general, concepts in religion, principles of freedom and liberty in relation to current political parties and other such things - which means that I am some what of a party pooper in a social setting of casual conversations.   I should add that I do not mind talking about people when the discussion is the people talking about themselves. 

 

The Traveler

[NeuroTypical]

4 hours ago, Traveler said:

Please let me clarify a couple of things.  First - just because I am capable of cataloging and categorizing things I dislike in the order I dislike them (See Abraham chapter 3) does not mean that I can be talked into liking something because I dislike something else worse.  Such logic baffles me.

I'm going to lead with that, the next time I go to the in-laws for Thanksgiving.  Thanks!

[laronius]

7 hours ago, Traveler said:

Please let me clarify a couple of things.  First - just because I am capable of cataloging and categorizing things I dislike in the order I dislike them (See Abraham chapter 3) does not mean that I can be talked into liking something because I dislike something else worse.  Such logic baffles me.  🙄

Second.  I lack the dexterity of my youth but I think I still have enough skill that I could trick you from where in the deck I am dealing the cards.  Cheating with cards is so easy - is one reason I hate card games - the other reason is that in many games of chance it is impossible to win with what was dealt - so many think bluffing (deliberately misrepresenting the truth which is the essence of lying) is the proper action to be taken.

I also dislike talking about people (especially specific individuals).  I would rather talk about wonders of nature, science in general, concepts in religion, principles of freedom and liberty in relation to current political parties and other such things - which means that I am some what of a party pooper in a social setting of casual conversations.   I should add that I do not mind talking about people when the discussion is the people talking about themselves. 

 

The Traveler

Fine. You are allowed to talk about any subject you want while cleaning. 😀

[Traveler]

14 hours ago, laronius said:

Fine. You are allowed to talk about any subject you want while cleaning. 😀

I think I should make something clear about my person.  Though I do not consider myself a clean freak (at least not quite as much as the wife) - I do think I am somewhat OCD.  With rare exception - I would not utilize unclean facilities (for eating or the opposite).   I have no problem with cleaning and consider such high demonstration of love and respect of others.  I love the outdoors and I do believe in no trace use of natural wilderness.   In college one of the businesses I had included industrial and residential cleaning - the wife and I still do most of the cleaning of our income properties.  For a small fee I would be glad to bring the wife and teach you how to maintain a proper living space.  😊  All of which I would much rather do than play a card game.

 

The Traveler

[laronius]

19 hours ago, Traveler said:

I think I should make something clear about my person.  Though I do not consider myself a clean freak (at least not quite as much as the wife) - I do think I am somewhat OCD.  With rare exception - I would not utilize unclean facilities (for eating or the opposite).   I have no problem with cleaning and consider such high demonstration of love and respect of others.  I love the outdoors and I do believe in no trace use of natural wilderness.   In college one of the businesses I had included industrial and residential cleaning - the wife and I still do most of the cleaning of our income properties.  For a small fee I would be glad to bring the wife and teach you how to maintain a proper living space.  😊  All of which I would much rather do than play a card game.

 

The Traveler

I'm not a slob but I really don't like cleaning. I'll work outside in the yard all day and enjoy it but cleaning is a necessary evil in my book. I guess I just don't derive the same satisfaction from it as others. So I was already to take you up on your offer, even for the small fee, until you said teach me. Now I'll have to look elsewhere as clearly Traveler's Cleaning Service is not what I'm looking for. Sorry. 

[Manners Matter]

On 11/15/2021 at 3:28 PM, laronius said:

When my family gets together for Thanksgiving dinner there is usually somewhere between 40-50 in attendance. We usually just eat then the kids start running around and the adults just start talking. There's nothing wrong with this but I feel like there ought to be something more. So I'm hoping to get some ideas about what your family likes to do. It can be spiritual or just fun but something to make the experience more than just an elaborate picnic.

My family hasn't done these but some ideas off the top of my head - before eating, everyone share something they're thankful for; someone read a quote/short story about gratitude; have a table set up with pens and thank you notes for people to use to write and mail/deliver to someone that has impacted them; everyone decorate a gratitude journal to take home; have a computer handy so people can check relative finder to see if there's any relation to the pilgrims; have everyone bring a can/box of food to be donated to the local food bank.

 

[SilentOne]

Our family has done a thankful tree for a few years. We put up a big butcher paper tree on the wall and throughout the day people write things they're grateful for on paper leaves and tape them to the tree. Some people hang the leaves like ornaments from potted branches or a Christmas tree.