Time to spice up your holiday routine and try out some new Thanksgiving activities for adults this year. We’ll show you the fifteen best post-dinner activities.
Make this Thanksgiving stand out and revive your traditions. Apart from spending time with your loved ones, relaxing, and perfecting your cooking skills, there are other amazing thanksgiving activities for adults. Whether you want to become artsy, play games, or immerse yourselves outdoors — there is something for everybody!
1. Host a “Friendsgiving”
While Thanksgiving may be a close family activity for some, it doesn’t have to be. How about linking up with some befriended families, inviting close friends you haven’t had time to catch up with, or widening the circle with the neighbors you’ve been meaning to hang out with or even some co-workers?
2. Get Active Outdoors
Motivate your loved ones to go on a fall walk together. After indulging in mouthwatering dishes, your body will appreciate movement and fresh air. Bring an outdoor game, such as badminton, football, or basketball. If you’re serious about that post-turkey run, look to see if your city or town has an organized fun run commonly referred to as a turkey trot. Check out the options in your area.
4. Try Some Arts and Crafts
This may only come to your mind for children’s activities, but getting artsy is an excellent Thanksgiving activity for adults, too. Check out our article on camping crafts for adults that can easily be brought to your living room. Or you can use this time to get started on making decorations for Christmas
5. Have a Games Afternoon
Want to prevent people from napping and lounging around after dinner? Games are a great way of bringing everyone together and boosting the group’s energy. Alternatively to cards and board games, try playing Thanksgiving-themed minute-to-win-it games. Participants have to finish a challenge within sixty seconds, whoever is done first wins! Here are some examples:
- Move the Cranberries: Participants use a straw in their mouth to suck on four cranberries, one at a time, placing them on top of four flexible straws standing vertically
- Knock off the Turkey: Players stand in a circle and take turns swinging balls of yarn to knock at least three turkey cans standing on top of empty soda cans.
- Stack the Apple: Players try stacking five or more apples on top of each other. These must remain freestanding for three seconds.
6. Watch A Sports Game Together
If you’re a sports fan, turn on a local game, or even stream one from across the nation or the globe. In case you are celebrating Thanksgiving far away from your loved ones this year, inviting friends over for a watch party is also a great alternative way of celebrating.
7. Have a Thanksgiving Movie Marathon
This is the perfect Thanksgiving activity for adults who are in need of some post-turkey relaxation. Get cozy on the couch, snuggle up, and truly honor the holiday. At the same time, whoever is in charge of the kitchen has all the time to finish up dinner preparations. If anyone hasn’t eaten their fill at the dinner table, you can serve some homemade microwave popcorn and other snacks.
8. Practice Gratitude As a Group
Thanksgiving is a holiday all about practicing gratitude, so why not honor this? Hand out pens and paper to everyone and encourage them to write a letter to someone they are grateful for. If you are celebrating with your family, you could also arrange a video call with family members who couldn’t make it to the party. If your guests are willing to try out something new, suggest doing a group meditation.
8. Create a Family Scrapbook
Capture some of your greatest memories in a family scrapbook with pictures, stickers, postcards, and letters. This may be one of the few occasions where everyone comes together, so you should make the most of the time you have together.
9. Volunteer Together
Whether you want to support a local food shelter or soup kitchen, putting gratitude into action is an excellent Thanksgiving activity for adults. You can also volunteer online, or in a smaller capacity, for example by helping out an elderly neighbor with a specific project.
11. Organize a Talent Show
Organizing a talent show is an ideal thanksgiving activity for adults who want to let out their inner child! Whether it’s singing, dancing, performing a poem, or a comedy act — everyone has something they are good at. While watching your friends or family members have a laugh and step out of their comfort zone, you can while away the evening. This is also a great bonding activity.
13. Put a Puzzle Together
Puzzling is a fun thanksgiving group activity and a good practice for adults to improve short-term memory. Puzzles usually create a positive group atmosphere as you can chat and help each other out along the way.
12. Have a Cocktail Evening
To end an afternoon filled with energy-boosting games, It’s time to sit back and relax while sipping on a tasty drink. Host a cocktail night and try yourself making kombucha cocktails or homemade sour mix. Alternatively, simply ask guests to prepare and serve one cocktail each and turn it into a competition by having the group rate them afterward.
14. Treat Yourself to the Fullest
There are many reasons why you might be celebrating Thanksgiving alone this year. If you don’t feel like inviting friends over or virtually connecting with others, here are some self-care Thanksgiving activities for adults:
- Use face masks: Nourish your skin by making turmeric face masks at home.
- Take time to read: Pick up that book you’ve been meaning to read or try feminist literature or books about climate change.
- Cook something new: Try out a new cuisine or put together a comfort meal by using the Too Good To Go App
- Get crafty: Crocheting and knitting are creative and relaxing activities that can be done while watching your favorite TV show.
15. Share Thanksgiving Memories
After a day of spending time together, you may be afraid to run out of conversation starters. Taking turns having guests share a funny or meaningful memory from the past years of Thanksgiving. This will stir up the conversation and increase the appreciation for Thanksgiving as a holiday.
Read More:
- Celebrate a Greener Thanksgiving With These 8 Tips This Year
- Black Friday 2021: 5 Reasons to Skip the Deals This Year
- 10 Simple, Tasty Vegan Party Food Ideas
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