🦃 A Not-So-Traditional Thanksgiving: 10 Fresh Ways to Celebrate This Year

Who says Thanksgiving has to be all about turkey, stuffing, and sitting at the same dining table every year? If you’ve ever thought, “Let’s do something different this time,” you’re not alone.

Whether you’re craving adventure, simplicity, or just a new kind of memory with your family, these ideas will help you create a Thanksgiving that’s meaningful — even if it’s totally untraditional.

🍕 1. Swap the Turkey for Your Family’s Favorite Meal

If your crew doesn’t love turkey (or you’re tired of the all-day cooking marathon), ditch it! Serve up everyone’s favorite dish — pizza, tacos, sushi, or a big pasta night. The point isn’t the menu, it’s the togetherness. You can even make it a “build your own” night — DIY tacos or make-your-own pizzas are always a hit with kids.

🏕️ 2. Take Thanksgiving Outdoors

Trade the formal table for a cozy outdoor picnic or a camping trip. Pack warm blankets, a thermos of soup, and s’mores for dessert. If you live near a park or forest, a fall hike followed by a simple picnic meal can be a beautiful, peaceful way to give thanks surrounded by nature. Invite other families for a potluck Thanksgiving meal.

✈️ 3. Celebrate Thanksgiving on the Road

If travel is your family’s love language, skip the kitchen altogether. Book a cozy cabin, a mountain Airbnb, or a beach house for the long weekend. Create your own travel tradition like a “Thanksgiving breakfast” before exploring somewhere new.

🎬 4. Host a Thanksgiving Movie Marathon

Not every holiday has to involve a long dinner table. Throw blankets on the floor, make popcorn, and stream cozy family favorites — Home Alone, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, or A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. You can even vote on the lineup as a family and serve themed snacks.

🍰 5. Just Do Dessert

Here’s a fun twist — skip dinner and host a Thanksgiving Dessert Party! Everyone brings one sweet treat to share: pies, cupcakes, cookies, or even caramel apples. Make a little coffee and cocoa bar, light some candles, and enjoy the best part of the meal without all the stress.

🎲 6. Make It a Game Night

Turn Thanksgiving into a full family game night instead of a formal dinner. Set up stations with board games, trivia, or charades. Let everyone pick their favorite snack or drink station — think popcorn bar, nachos, or mini sliders. It’s simple, interactive, and full of laughter. See my previous blog about the best boardgames to play during Thanksgiving.

💛 7. Volunteer or Give Back Together

Instead of spending the day in the kitchen, spend it helping others. Serve meals at a local shelter, create blessing bags for the homeless, or bake cookies for neighbors. It’s a great way to teach kids what Thanksgiving is really about — gratitude and kindness.

🧳 8. Do a Family Staycation

No travel? No problem. Turn your own home into a Thanksgiving retreat! Stay in pajamas all day, order takeout, and build blanket forts in the living room. Play music, light fall candles, and relax with no pressure — because sometimes doing nothing together is the best tradition of all.

🖼️ 9. Make It Creative

Host a Craftsgiving! Set up a big table with paints, markers, and craft paper. Kids can make place cards, gratitude trees, or homemade ornaments for winter. You’ll end up with handmade keepsakes — and memories that last longer than the leftovers.

🎤 10. Host a “Friendsgiving with a Twist”

If you’re spending the holiday with friends, make it memorable!

• Do a themed Friendsgiving (like pajama party, 90s night, or soup swap).

• Have everyone bring a dish from their family’s heritage.

• Create a “gratitude jar” for everyone to drop in notes of thanks and read aloud together.

🌻 Final Thoughts

There’s no one right way to celebrate Thanksgiving. Whether you’re hiking through the woods, watching movies in your pajamas, or passing around a slice of pie under the stars, what matters most is being present with the people you love.

Tradition is wonderful — but sometimes, breaking it brings you even closer. 💛

So this year, try something new. Start your own version of Thanksgiving. And remember: gratitude doesn’t need a turkey to taste good. Our untraditional Thanksgivings have been the most memoral for our kids.