Thanksgiving Day Games: Make the Day About Having Fun!

Thanksgiving Day Games: Make the Day About Having Fun!

Thanksgiving is the day families get together. They enjoy the closeness and companionship of the family. They share their life and experiences. Games are one way of sharing and enjoying the camaraderie of one another.

Get Everyone Involved

When you mix fun games in with the festive feelings and great food, everyone will enjoy the frivolity of the holiday. You can set up different types of outdoor and indoor games so each family member and guest can participate in the fun. The children as well as adults can have an enjoyable time playing and competing with one another.

Outdoor Fun

If you have a large yard you can set up different outdoor games. You can prepare a putting and pitching area for the golf enthusiasts. They can show off their golfing skills or practice for their next golf tournaments.

If there are sufficient family members and visitors, a baseball or basketball game could be an interesting and challenging game. Depending on the weather and other circumstances, games like badminton, kickball and even volleyball may be options. 

Indoor Fun

If the weather is not conducive for outdoor games, you can play different types of indoor games. Ping Pong is a game that can be played by everybody and it can rouse a lot of friendly rivalry between family members.  You could also consider card games or board games like monopoly, chess and checkers, and various word games. The dictionary and Pictionary games can be highly entertaining and educational.

In the dictionary game, a person picks an unusual word from the dictionary and everybody tries to guess the meaning. The person who guesses the exact meaning or comes closest to it is the winner. The Pictionary game involves drawing a picture and everybody tries to guess the word represented by the picture. This game can be used to bring out the drawing talents and skills of the family member.

If the house is large, you could hold a scavenger hunt indoors. Be sure all your breakable items are stored safely away. You can designate the search area for the scavenger hunt. If there are many toddlers in the family, you may want to organize a special scavenger hunt just for them.

Another great idea for younger guests is a turkey tag game. The turkey tag game involves having someone put feathers in his back pocket and having the other players try to grab the feathers from the person.  The winner is the one with the most feathers.

You can play a turkey hunt game that is similar to the Easter egg hunt. Just take the time to draw different turkey shapes on construction paper and hide them around the yard. In fact, you can let the kids make the turkey shapes and be responsible for hiding them. The player who finds the most turkey drawings is declared the winner. 

Video games can be fun for all ages. If you are concerned that only a few people can participate you can set a timer that gives each player a set amount of time to build points. This adds to the fun and helps ensure that everyone can play.

Pick your games well. Remember the games are intended to promote camaraderie and closeness among your guests. The team at Package From Santa will continue providing great holiday tips and ideas, so please visit often.

Thanksgiving Craft Activities for the Kids

 

Kids can show their creativity by making all kinds of crafts during the autumn season. Thanksgiving is an ideal holiday for craft projects. Kids can easily find many natural items such as pine cones, seeds and colorful leaves that can be used for their crafts. Plus, working on craft items is not only fun, it is also a great way to create awesome decorations for your home. Even simple craft projects can be used for Thanksgiving décor. The holiday is a good time for children to show off their talents and skills. At the same time, the kids get to learn and understand the true meaning of Thanksgiving.

Gathering Supplies

Children can gather the items for their craft projects from around the yard and neighborhood. You can guide them on deciding what craft projects will be undertaken. Then you can help them make a list of the different natural items they should get for their projects. Being organized makes it easier for the child to look for the items. 

 

The children will know the types and number of natural items they should gather for the project. For instance, the number of seeds, cones and leaves will depend on the craft they will make. A specific number of orange, red and brown leaves may have to be gathered to make a colorful centerpiece arrangement.

Don’t Forget the Turkey

One interesting craft project could be a turkey. After all, the turkey is the main dish in a Thanksgiving dinner. There are many unique ways of combining cones, seeds and leaves to make a turkey. The turkey can be displayed in some prominent area of the house. Having a craft project on display during this major holiday will make your kids feel proud.

A Simple Wreath or Flower Arrangement

A standard decoration is the Thanksgiving wreath. Instead of buying one, the children can get together and make one from cones, twigs, branches and assorted leaves. They can glue the items together to form a wreath. You can hang the wreath on the front door. The wreath serves as a welcome greeting to the visitors and at the same time, shows the talents and skills of the children. 

Another option is using a pumpkin as a vase and adding various leaves, flowers, grasses and pine cones to create a gorgeous flower arrangement. This can be used as an outdoor decoration or added to a tabletop indoors.

There are many craft projects that can be done for Thanksgiving Day. For instance, with coloring materials and paper, the children can make place cards and napkins with a Thanksgiving theme. Let your children mull it over. I am sure they can come up with some unique craft projects of their own.

Keep visiting this Package From Santa blog for more ideas about ways to make your Thanksgiving (and all holidays) more meaningful.

Simple Thanksgiving Decorations

Simple Thanksgiving Decorations

Thanksgiving is coming up fast. But you still have time to decorate your house.  The decorations don't have to be fancy. They can be very simple and still add a nice touch to the ambiance of Thanksgiving. Here are some ways you can decorate your home in a simple fashion and still bring out the elegance and spirit of Thanksgiving.

Color Matters

When you do your decorations, you should try to use the Thanksgiving colors of red, orange, brown, amber and green. For instance, your placemats, dining table centerpiece and tablecloth should use these colors. Good lighting can brighten up a room significantly. You can use colored candles to brighten up the rooms and maintain the ambiance. You can use vegetables, flowers or fruits as your centerpiece on the dining table. You should make sure the colors reflect the colors of Thanksgiving.

Pumpkins

Not only will lots of people serve pumpkin pies this Thanksgiving, many will use pumpkins as decorations. Although Halloween is over, you can still make your pumpkins more special by carving them. Why not carve a Pilgrim figure or a turkey into your Thanksgiving pumpkins? The pumpkins will look festive and will get lots of comments about your creativity. You can add a candle to the inside of the pumpkins and enjoy the wonderful fragrance. 

Wreaths

Most homes have a fall and Thanksgiving wreath as part of the decorations. Thanksgiving wreaths are a standard Thanksgiving tradition.

You can buy a ready-made wreath form or make one easily from branches and leaves. You should choose branches that are supple and can be easily bent. Twist the branches around and entwine them into a circle. You can use several branches so the wreath will be sturdy and firm. You can add leaves to make it colorful and bright.

You can hang the wreath over your front door so it serves as a welcome greeting to your visitors. Your visitors will immediately sense the warmth and hospitality of your home.

Family Photos

As a final touch, you could place family pictures around the house. This enhances the overall value of family bonding that Thanksgiving helps to represent. It makes the families bond closer together as they view the pictures and reminisce on past occasions. 

The team at Package From Santa is dedicated to helping you enjoy each and every holiday. Visit this blog often to keep up with tips and advice about kids, holidays, and lifestyle.