Thanksgiving is an annual national holiday in the United States, observed on the fourth Thursday in November, dedicated to expressing gratitude for the harvest and the blessings of the past year. While its historical narrative is complex, including the pivotal 1621 harvest feast shared by the English colonists (Pilgrims) and the Wampanoag people, the modern holiday has evolved into a beloved national tradition centered on family, community, and, most famously, a lavish feast. It serves as a symbolic marker for the beginning of the festive holiday season and is a day reserved for travel, gathering, reflection, and culinary indulgence.
Beyond the dinner table, the unequivocal pinnacle of any Thanksgiving celebration, a few additional activities dominate the holiday atmosphere, binding Americans across different regions into a shared cultural experience. In this article, we’ll explore traditional ways of celebrating Thanksgiving, practices many people pursue on a holiday dedicated to community and family.
“Sidesgiving” – Celebrating Thanksgiving
The newer, informal trend of “Sidesgiving” emerged from the broader phenomenon of “Friendsgiving”—a separate, often potluck-style gathering with friends. Sidesgiving specifically celebrates the consensus that the side dishes, such as stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce, are the true culinary highlights of the meal, allowing hosts and guests to skip the often stressful and time-consuming preparation of the main turkey and focus solely on shared, beloved accompaniments. This contemporary practice reflects a shift toward more relaxed, communal, and side-dish-centric feasting, offering a flexible and stress-free way to observe the spirit of gratitude outside the rigid structure of the traditional family holiday.
Video Chat With Far-Away Loved Ones
While the core spirit remains centered on family connection and sharing a meal during Thanksgiving, the widespread use of video chat platforms (like Zoom, FaceTime, and Google Meet) allows far-away loved ones to participate actively in the celebration. Families now integrate these digital tools into their gatherings by coordinating virtual dinners, where participants on both ends sit down and eat together on screen; hosting online gratitude circles where everyone shares what they are thankful for; or running interactive activities like virtual trivia and scavenger hunts. This technological adaptation ensures that the holiday’s emphasis on togetherness transcends geographical distance, transforming a traditionally localized feast into a globally connected, shared experience.
Macy’s Day Parade – Celebrating Thanksgiving
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is one of the most prominent cultural traditions of Thanksgiving, serving as the official, festive kickoff to the winter holiday season for millions of Americans. Held annually in New York City on the fourth Thursday in November since its start in 1924, this massive procession is characterized by its signature, larger-than-life helium-filled balloons, elaborate floats, performances by Broadway casts, and the final arrival of Santa Claus. While it began as a department store’s promotional event, the parade’s national television broadcast (beginning in 1948) cemented its status as a beloved communal ritual, offering a spectacular visual display that families across the country gather to watch on Thanksgiving morning, often before commencing their own traditional turkey feast and football viewing.
Turkey Trot
The Turkey Trot is a modern and increasingly popular tradition associated with Thanksgiving. These footraces, typically 5K or longer, are held across the country on Thanksgiving morning, with the oldest continuous event dating back to 1896 in Buffalo, New York. The tradition serves multiple purposes: it allows participants to engage in a health-conscious activity to “earn their feast” before indulging in the massive, caloric Thanksgiving meal; it provides a fun, low-pressure way for families of all ages and fitness levels to gather and spend quality time together, often in costumes; and critically, it acts as a major charitable fundraiser, with proceeds from many local races benefiting food banks and community initiatives, perfectly aligning the day’s physical activity with the holiday’s central theme of gratitude and community giving.
Play Thanksgiving Trivia – Celebrating Thanksgiving
The tradition of playing Thanksgiving trivia is a beloved, modern addition to the U.S. national holiday. Rooted in the holiday’s established traditions—such as the historical narrative of the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag, the staple foods of the feast, and televised events like the Macy’s Parade and NFL games—trivia offers a fun, interactive way for families to engage with the holiday’s meaning and pop culture. This tradition transforms the post-meal lull into a moment of communal entertainment and friendly competition, sparking conversation and often introducing humorous facts about everything from the original 1621 menu to the science of the turkey’s wishbone or the specific names of a turkey’s anatomy, thus reinforcing the holiday’s themes of family togetherness and shared cultural knowledge.
NFL Football
The tradition of watching professional NFL football is one of the most ingrained customs of Thanksgiving. The practice of playing football on this day dates back to the late 19th century with college and high school games, but the NFL tradition was cemented in 1934 when the then-new Detroit Lions scheduled a game to drum up fan interest. This was followed in 1966 by the Dallas Cowboys, who also volunteered to host a game for national publicity. Today, the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys annually host the first two nationally televised games, followed by a third, rotating prime-time matchup. For millions of American families, the sight and sound of the broadcast games have become as essential to the holiday experience as the turkey feast itself, providing a communal focal point for gathering, relaxing, and enjoying friendly competition before and after the big meal.
Go Electronics-Free – Celebrating Thanksgiving
The practice of attempting to go electronics-free is a contemporary tradition. This deliberate digital detox directly reinforces the holiday’s core mission of promoting gratitude and family togetherness by eliminating the distractions of smartphones, tablets, and computers. While televised events like the Macy’s Parade and NFL games remain central traditions, an “unplugged” gathering focuses on face-to-face connection through low-tech activities like board games, card games, old-fashioned conversation, and sharing what attendees are thankful for. By setting clear boundaries, such as designating the dinner table as a tech-free zone, families aim to reduce stress, deepen conversations, and be fully present with their loved ones, thereby reclaiming the holiday’s intended focus on human connection over digital distraction.
Community Service
Thanksgiving often extends beyond a personal feast to embrace a strong tradition of community service and giving back. This practice, rooted in the holiday’s spirit of gratitude, involves countless individuals and families volunteering their time or resources to help those in need. Common activities include supporting local food banks by sorting donations or packing meal baskets, serving hot meals at soup kitchens or homeless shelters, and participating in Turkey Trots (charity runs) that raise funds for hunger-relief organizations. These acts of service transform a private celebration into a community-wide effort, reflecting a shared desire to ensure that everyone, regardless of circumstance, can experience the warmth and sustenance of the holiday.
Thanksgiving-Themed Getaway – Celebrating Thanksgiving
A Thanksgiving-themed getaway is an increasingly popular way for families to redefine holiday traditions, exchanging the stress of hosting and preparing a large meal for a shared, memorable experience in a new locale. Instead of a day centered on the kitchen, a getaway allows for the creation of new rituals, whether that involves booking a lavish restaurant dinner, participating in a Turkey Trot in a new city, or simply relaxing together at a cozy cabin or beach resort. While some opt for historically significant destinations like Plymouth or New York City for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to lean into existing traditions, the primary draw is the opportunity to shed the conventional pressures of the holiday, focus on quality time, and forge modern traditions that are rich in shared experiences rather than domestic labor.
Scavenger Hunt
The incorporation of a Thanksgiving scavenger hunt is a fun, modern tradition that directly enhances the holiday’s theme of family togetherness and engagement. Often taking place after the large Thanksgiving meal, the scavenger hunt transforms the post-feast lull into an active, collaborative game where participants search for hidden clues related to the holiday’s established customs, such as historical facts, iconic feast items (like the wishbone or a can of cranberry sauce), or symbols of gratitude. This activity serves a dual purpose: it encourages movement and interaction among guests of all ages, and it reinforces the holiday’s core values.
