15 Fun & Unforgettable Thanksgiving Activities for Couples in 2024
Making Thanksgiving fun and memorable can be challenging, especially if you don’t want to go the traditional route of spending it with family, watching football games, and overeating sweets like corn candy.
But that doesn’t mean you should spend it alone!
Why eat your Thanksgiving dinner alone when you can enjoy it with your spouse? Whether you’re looking to make this year’s turkey day special or keep the holiday tradition going for years.
Start your Thanksgiving celebration off right by engaging in some fun and entertaining activities with your partner or significant other. Whether you live together or far away, Thanksgiving Day provides plenty of opportunities to make the best of this holiday season.
It’s never too early to start building up some family Thanksgiving traditions.
These 15 fun and unforgettable Thanksgiving activities will help make your holiday truly memorable!
1. Make Thanksgiving Dinner Together
Making dinner together is a great way to spend quality time with your significant other, especially during the busy Thanksgiving season. It’s also a great way to create new family traditions.
One of our favorite Thanksgiving memories is when my sister-in-law made her first Thanksgiving meal while we helped her cook. We had so much fun cooking together that she continued to make Thanksgiving dinners with us every year after that. In fact, it became one of our favorite Thanksgiving traditions.
So this Thanksgiving, why not give making dinner together as a gift? Or host an intimate Thanksgiving for just the two of you?
Start by planning what will be on the Thanksgiving menu, where to watch Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or local parade, and what activities you’ll do.
2. Check Out the College Football Games on TV
Thanksgiving is the perfect time to take a break from cooking, shopping, or dealing with your family. Turn on the TV to watch some college football games with your significant other.
With so many college football games on TV, the only way to find which ones you want to watch is by reading the schedule. One of the most anticipated football games is Ohio State versus Michigan State. Another game on TV this year is Notre Dame versus Clemson; both ranked 1 and 2.
If you are looking for a more competitive game with more action, tune into USC versus Oregon. Finally, if the whole day of football sounds like too much work, check out one of these great Thanksgiving games below!
3. Play Thanksgiving-themed games
Play Thanksgiving-themed classic games like Thanksgiving Feast or The Gratitude Game, where you each write down what you are grateful for about your partner. Remembering those little things can really boost a relationship.
On a piece of paper, you can also write one thing you are grateful for this time of year or something you’re looking forward to happening next. Fold it up into four squares and pass it around the table. Each person takes turns opening a square to read aloud what they are thankful for.
When everyone finishes reading their thoughts, ask if anyone else would like to add anything they are grateful for before continuing to the next person at the table.
4. Make Fun Place Settings for Family Members
When hosting a gathering for family members, it’s important to have place settings for everyone. Use our Thanksgiving Place Settings printable so everyone can find their seat.
This is one of the fun things you can participate in this year. Set out individual place cards on the table or around the room and let each person pick which card they want to sit at when they arrive.
Have a friendly competition during the big meal – whoever eats their green beans first wins. Include the kids with games like pin the turkey and who will be our new president. If someone arrives late, just ensure you don’t put them in an occupied setting!
5. Pick Out Your Favorite Board Games
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is fun to watch. But it can get old after a few hours. So, if you’re looking for something new…do this.
Thanksgiving, take some time to pick out one of your favorite board games. There are plenty of Thanksgiving-themed games like Thanksgivingsaurus Rex,
Thanksgiving Trivia Challenge, Guess What I Am Wearing (in the form of a game), and more.
These games will help you enjoy Thanksgiving with someone special while still giving thanks for all we have. You don’t want to stay home on Thanksgiving; go play one of these great games with friends or family!
6. Go Black Friday Shopping Together
Gong Black Friday shopping is one of the fun ways to spend a great time with your significant other on the busiest shopping day of the year. If you’re looking for a fun way to spend Black Friday, this could be it. The most important thing is to plan before heading out to the mall.
Be sure to map out what stores you want to visit first and how long you are willing to spend there if you are going there with your spouse and family member.
You don’t want one person waiting outside while the other goes inside (unless they can handle that).
It’s also always smart to designate a meeting spot if one person gets lost or separated from the group. And finally, stay hydrated! A store-bought water bottle will do just fine if you drink enough.
7. Make A New Thanksgiving Tradition
Making a new Thanksgiving tradition is as old as the first Thanksgiving celebration! Here is a good idea to get you started: A dinner at an apple orchard – this is perfect for couples who love the outdoors.
Join the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot race to burn calories before coming home to eat or play games such as Gratitude Game with each other and take turns giving thanks for what you have, even if it’s nothing more than an abundance of peace.
You can also go apple picking together and then head home to cook up your feast while watching Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV. Remember to make time for yourself by putting down your phone and spending time with one another instead.
Use this Thanksgiving holiday as a reminder that we all need to appreciate the people around us because life could be so much worse.
8. Invite the Whole Family Over
This Thanksgiving, invite the whole family over to play a few games. Play the traditional Thanksgiving games of Jenga or cornhole, or if you’re feeling adventurous, hand at croquet.
If it’s too cold outside, head to the kitchen, where you can join in making food. You’ll want to ensure everyone is fed during thanksgiving time so enjoy a hearty Thanksgiving feast together.
The Thanksgiving Day dining menu should include apple pie, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and more pies. You can make other side dishes you can cook together, such as mashed potatoes, green beans, casserole, and cranberry sauce. For vegans, you can join in making vegan brownies and vegan pumpkin pie.
9. Take Fall Family Photos
This year, take some Fall Family Photos. There is something so special about watching the parade with your family around you.
Thanksgiving day will be a perfect time to capture those memories together as a family as everyone converges at a stop you love. If you want more artistic flair, consider finding a photographer or even taking pictures yourself.
Have someone take your photo by holding a sign that says take our picture, please.
Ask another family member to hold up their cell phone and snap a picture as they walk down the street on parade day. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade starts right near Central Park, where there are tons of great spots to get amazing views!
10. Decorate the Thanksgiving Table Together
Get creative this Thanksgiving by decorating the table together. Whether you want to use a theme or mix it up, it’s fun to get creative with the idea of what Thanksgiving means to you.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is the biggest parade on television, so why not decorate your table like one of their floats?
Table decorations can also be an early Christmas present. You could recreate a favorite character like Peter Pan, Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas, or Captain Hook for the little kids!
Or how about creating a gingerbread house out of construction paper and cutouts? With such cute patterns available at stores now, you can create a themed decoration that fits with any holiday.
11. Write A Special Note to Family Members
You and your spouse can decide to write a special note with a greeting card and hand it to each member of the family or even one person you appreciate for that year.
You can choose to write something like:
‘Thank you for being my family. I’ve been through many challenges this year, but you were always there when I needed it. I appreciate everything you have done for me this year.
You are truly one of the best friends/family anyone could ever have, and I am happy to spend time with you on Thanksgiving hope you enjoy your gift as much as I enjoyed writing this letter! Thank you.
I look forward to spending more time with you in the future!’
So little, but it will go a long way to put smiles on the faces of your loved ones.
12. Create New Turkey Crafts
You can have all your friends over or have a fun date night with your significant other on the big day. Instead of watching the parade, create your parade with a few of these Turkey Crafts. Make sure to play some holiday music while you are getting crafty.
Then after it is done, make sure to document your work by taking pictures so that you can look back at them years later when reminiscing about how much fun you had this past Thanksgiving.
Here’s a great idea and one of the best ways to do something exceptional with a thanksgiving theme.
13. Volunteer to Be the Thanksgiving Hosts
Thanksgiving Day is always fun to enjoy with your partner, but what if you could also be part of the fun?
Volunteer to be the hosts of your parade at an open space or in your backyard. You can also set up a holiday meal and invite friends and family to watch Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV while you run commentary on what you watch.
What better way to spend the day than with those who matter most? It’s not just about watching football or going out to dinner – it’s about celebrating the season with your loved ones.
14. Enjoy A Quiet Moment Together
Gather together as a couple and have a quiet time enjoying the atmosphere from your patio. Also, watching the parade with your partner in a quiet room, who you may only be able to see on this day, is a special way to enjoy some time together.
You can also take advantage of being at home by setting up a table filled with foods that remind you of childhood thanksgiving celebrations, like pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce.
You can even create a playlist of songs from past thanksgiving parades so it feels more nostalgic. Be sure to invite all your friends over to join in the fun!
15. Volunteer At Your Local Soup Kitchen
Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for all the good things in your life, but it’s also a great time to reflect on those less fortunate.
Volunteering at your local soup kitchen or giving food items or money to organizations like Feeding America or the Salvation Army can make you feel grateful for what you have.
Plus, it will give you something meaningful to do with someone else!
Wrapping Up
Thanksgiving is one of the most popular holidays, but finding something to do can be challenging when you don’t have the family around, but you can enjoy it with your spouse.
The day is a time to reflect on what we are most grateful for. To help you celebrate this holiday season with your significant other, we have provided you with 15 fun and unforgettable activities you can try.
