Thanksgiving Traditions Worth Remembering | By: Heather Butler

Traditions are a significant part of the Thanksgiving holiday - some passed down through the generations tried and true, while others are new, adventurous ideas you hope might stick or, oh no, fail! Regardless, they become a memory enjoyed or laughed about around the table for years to come.

What are your Thanksgiving traditions? Many friends from around the United States share their special traditions with us. So, go ahead, pull up a seat to this table, and hear what people are saying!

An Open Door and An Extended Table

Anyone in our extended circle of friends or family that needs a place to go for Thanksgiving, we would offer them a spot at the table. Both my husband and I are veterans, and we know what it is like to be away from our families during the holidays.

Theodore Family, Nevada

At our gym, we have a Friendsgiving for our members. We also do a collection of turkeys (donated by businesses and anyone in the community) and all the fixings (donated by our members) for Thanksgiving dinner boxes that we give to families in need.

Dobbins Family, Delaware

Four generations feast around the table with one another and become family to anyone who needs one. Our families come together to laugh, enjoy Korean food, sing songs with the guitar and djembe, share stories, and say a blessing to one another.

Park Family, California

Foods That Feels Like Family

Something special we do is prepare celery sticks with cream cheese as snacks while we cook because this was my grandmother’’s favorite.

Stark Family, Montana

We are an “all hands-on deck” family when it comes to cooking and baking. It is important to my husband and me to have the kids involved because we use a lot of our family recipes and want to be sure to pass them on.

Warner Family, Nevada

Hawaiians would hold a huge feast called, “ka aha aina piha makahiki,” meaning the feast to have fullness for the year. The Hawaiian Thanksgiving tradition continues on today with what is known as the Hawaiian luau.

Wight Family, Hawaii

Quality Time

Once everyone arrives, we take pics with our inflatable turkey outside (his name is Tom the Turkey). Then we eat! Most of the family spends the night, and we wake up and have a big breakfast, play games, watch movies, eat leftovers, shop online only - super fun day!

Garfield Family, Nevada

We share in a time of gratitude and prayer, dinner, and then games while the kids do crafts together and play outside. So much laughter and love!

Armstrong Family, Nevada

We share our Thanksgiving with friends from Idaho that we’ve known for 14 years. We have a white tablecloth that we put out every year and all the kids trace their hands and write the year to see their growth over the years. There is always a family football game and lots of pumpkin pie!

Newell Family, Nevada

We love cooking a traditional meal, watching football, and pulling out the Christmas decorations and putting up the Christmas tree at night after dinner. The most fun is had while playing board games and enjoying seconds of all the desserts!

Balino Family, Nevada

Wow, friends! Thanksgiving traditions can look so different from one another! Did you notice a common theme amongst everyone's way of celebrating Thanksgiving? Thanksgiving is better together!

This Thanksgiving, rally your people at the table around food that warms the heart, offer a new seat for someone looking for one, and be intentional with each person sitting with you. From what's been shared, you can be sure that each person has a story and a family tradition of their own to tell you about!