Let’s Get Back to Just Being Together
This holiday season, I’m feeling slightly uneasy about hosting a house full of guests for the holidays. I need to plan ahead and make sure we all enjoy our time together. No more talking about the election or the economy… Let’s get back to just being together and enjoying a holiday meal.
If you feel like I do, then check out my Holiday Meal Prep Guide to plan ahead. Once you have the menu under control, you can tackle keeping your guests happy and focused on fun. Here are some of the easy, fun things I have planned for my visitors on Thanksgiving Day — games and activities that encourage mindfulness toward each other, and that everyone, any age, can enjoy together.
🎮 Games
- Thanksgiving Bingo or Pictionary: All you need is a pad and some markers. Pre-select easy Thanksgiving words your guests can draw — “Pilgrim,” “corn,” “pumpkin,” “turkey,” “cranberries” — and you’re set.
- Turkey Tag: Super fun and silly! Split into teams with paper feathers — pre-make them from construction paper, one color per team. Teams try to tape feathers onto other players’ backs without being noticed. The team with the most feathers taped “unnoticed” wins!
- Karaoke: Everyone loves a great sing-along… even those of us who can’t sing a note (guilty)!!
✂️ Crafts
- Decorate Thanksgiving Cookies: Simple sugar cookies with icing and colorful sprinkles are fun and delicious. I like giving everyone a designated person they have to decorate a cookie for — it encourages care, thoughtfulness, and participation. Wink!
- Thankful Family Tree: Draw a bare tree on a large piece of oaktag paper. Pre-cut leaves from colorful construction paper, large enough to write on. Have each guest write a “Thankful message” on a leaf and tape it to the tree. Designate a specific person for each guest to write about. Wink, wink.
🍂 Get Outside
- Go for a walk, run a Turkey Trot, or organize a Thanksgiving scavenger hunt. Fresh air and connecting with nature are extremely healthy for everyone — and soothe the soul!
