Tag: Thanksgiving

Fall Family Photos to Capture this Season

Fall is a busy time of year. Apple picking, visiting pumpkin patches, viewing colorful foliage, Halloween, and Thanksgiving are all a part of the fall season. Each day provides numerous opportunities for family pictures. Are you capturing the best photos for lasting memories? If you need a little inspiration, check out the following list of ideas for fall family photos to capture this season.

Fall Family Photo Ideas

Photo by Harrison Haines on Pexels.com
  1. Walking down a hiking trail. (If you can do it, get your children to hold hands).
  2. Searching for the perfect pumpkin.
  3. Sitting in the pumpkin patch.
  4. Going apple picking.
  5. Baking a apple or pumpkin pie together.
  6. Doing leaf crafts.
  7. Attending a football game.
  8. Tailgating before the game. (Food is always a major part of game day photos).
  9. Playing catch football.
  10. Around a bonfire.
  11. Standing in front of trees with vibrant fall colors.
  12. Holding leaves out front of you. (For added fun, write names or wishes on the leaves)
  13. Raking and jumping in the leaves.
  14. Vising a local farmer’s market.
  15. At a community event.
  16. Making Halloween decoration together.
  17. Dancing to Halloween music.
  18. Carving pumpkins.
  19. Roasting pumpkin seeds.
  20. Volunteering.
  21. Drinking homemade hot cocoa in a new mug. (Do not forget the marshmallows.)
  22. Dressing up in Halloween costumes.
  23. A Halloween photo shoot in the back yard.
  24. Trick or treating.
  25. Decorating for Thanksgiving.
  26. Photo with extended family at Thanksgiving.
  27. Photo of everyone sitting at the Thanksgiving table.
  28. Kids choice. (Often children create the best photo shoot for your family.)

How to Make Thanksgiving Special This Year

Thanksgiving weekend usually brings large family gatherings, traveling, and community events. The ongoing pandemic, social distancing guidelines, and other restrictions are changing your typical Thanksgiving plans. But, staying close to home provides the perfect opportunity to start new traditions.

Ways to Make Thanksgiving Special This Year

This year, celebrating Thanksgiving at home may result in smaller family gatherings. In whatever way you define your family (yes, your dog or cat counts), check out the following ideas to make Thanksgiving special.

Decorations

Before Thanksgiving, make decorations together. Crafting is a fun activity. Younger children love to create.

  • Placemats: Make paper placemats. Use construction paper to draw, paint, or color designs. If you want to save your creation, laminate the final product. You do not need a laminator machine. Clear contact paper works exceptionally well, especially for larger pieces.
  • Place Cards: Create place cards as part of your table setting. Color a design on folded notecards for easy place card settings.
  • Centerpiece: Create a centerpiece for a focal point on your Thanksgiving table. A basket with fall-themed flowers is an easy task to add beauty to your table. If your budget’s tight, check out your local dollar store for inspiration.
  • Other Table Embellishments: Gourds, miniature turkeys, and other small items create the perfect Thanksgiving table decorations. Allow your children to decorate the table.
  • Tree of Thanks: Create a tree of thanks. Using a small branch or painting a tree on a poster board, add different colored leaves. On each leaf, write down why you are grateful.

Time to Eat

One of the best parts of Thanksgiving is the meal.

  • Traditional Home Cooked Meal: Bake a large family meal together. Turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, yams, or your version of a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Don’t forget dessert.
  • Buffet Style: Place everything on the table or counter. Allow everyone to pick and choose from the options.   
  • Picnic in the Living Room:   Is your Thanksgiving going to be a casual affair? Turn your simple meal into an indoor picnic.
  • Pre-ordered Meal: Order your meal from a local restaurant. Many restaurants are hurting due to the pandemic. Pre-ordering a Thanksgiving meal helps small shops stay open. A pre-ordered meal is simple to heat and serve.
  • Candle Light Meal: Light candles or use flameless ones to add a special touch to your Thanksgiving dinner.
  • Toast or Prayer: Say a toast or prayer before eating. Depending on your children’s age, ask each member of your family to give a gratitude toast.
  • New Recipes: Is there an old family recipe or a new one you want to try? Thanksgiving is a wonderful day to try something new.

Starting New Traditions

Staying at home for a long holiday weekend is a great time to start new traditions.

  • Go Hiking: Hit the local trails to burn off all the extra eating.
  • Nature Walk: Get outdoors and go for a slow nature walk.
  • Toss the Football Around: Playing football is a long-standing tradition on Thanksgiving.
  • Go for a Ride: Pack up some leftovers and go for a long drive.
  • Decorate for Christmas: Put up your Christmas tree, decorate your home, or put lights up outdoors.

Enjoy every minute of your Thanksgiving weekend. Take lots of pictures to use in a scrapbook later.  

 

Pet Safety on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a festive holiday. Gathering friends and family members together to enjoy a large meal is part of the Thanksgiving tradition. While everyone is busy enjoying the festivities, your pet could be heading for trouble. Large gatherings mean a change in routine for your pets. Keeping pets safe on Thanksgiving requires extra attention to their surroundings.

Tips for Keeping Pets Safe on Thanksgiving

Keeping a close watch on your pet is essential for safety on Thanksgiving. Consider the following areas to help you with pet safety.

The Door

Pets love to greet people at the door. Your dog may enjoy barking and running to see who is coming in the door. When people start arriving, your dog or cat can easily slip out through the open door. Watching the door closely ensures your pet stays inside.

The Kitchen 

During cooking times, your kitchen may be chaotic. Pets love to be near people. Having a pet in the kitchen may cause you to trip. Or you may accidentally spill something hot on your pet. If you unexpectedly drop raw food or other ingredients, your pet may quickly eat the substance, which could cause stomach distress.

The Food

Along with ingesting raw food, overfeeding your pet on ThaThanksgiving can cause stomach issues and more. Thanksgiving is about indulging in a great meal.

  • Limit Food Scrapes:  Thanksgiving is about indulging in a great meal. Limiting food scraps to your dog or cat is essential for your pet’s health. A small piece of boneless, unseasoned turkey is a tasty treat for your pet.
  • No Fat or Seasoned Food: Fatty or seasoned foods can make your pet sick.
  • No Chocolate: Chocolate or other rich desserts are all part of the Thanksgiving feast. But chocolate is toxic to dogs. High doses of chocolate can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and even death in dogs.

The Trash

Pets are curious. Sniffing out the trash is natural for them. Pulling out wrappings, food pieces, bones, and other substances can cause stomach distress. Keeping the garbage out of reach of pets is necessary to avoid health issues.

The Safe Space

Pets can quickly become overwhelmed with all the people in your household. Allowing your pet to retreat to a crate or safe place will help reduce anxiety. Inform your guests, especially children, the area is off-limits.

Thanksgiving is a festive occasion. Keeping your pet safe during the activities means you will not spend an evening in the vet emergency room.

Hosting a Friendsgiving

The word Friendsgiving is a term to describe the combination of gathering friends and the Thanksgiving holiday. Reasons for hosting a Friendsgiving vary. Family members may not live nearby. Or you consider your friends like your family. Regardless of your reason, hosting a Friendsgiving is a wonderful way to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Tips for Hosting a Friendsgiving

Honestly, there is no right or wrong way to host a Friendsgiving. The basic concept is about having those you cherish around you for Thanksgiving. Your gathering can be a causal or fantastic dining experience. Here are a few tips to help you plan your Friendsgiving gathering.

Invites

Grab your favorite writing instrument to prepare a list of people to invite to your Friendsgiving. Next, use your list for sending invites. There are five basic ways to invite your friends over for a Thanksgiving meal.

  • Digital: Create a private group on Facebook to invite and discuss your plans for the Thanksgiving meal.
  • Call: If you are short on time, give everyone on your list a quick call.
  • Text: Send your invites via a text or private message.
  • Mail: Make out your invitations and send them through the mail.
  • In-person: This method is great for handing out homemade invites

Menu

After you know how many people are coming to your Friendsgiving event, you must plan a menu. There are three basic ways to prepare and serve your meal.

  • Do it Yourself: Cook and bake the entire meal yourself. The DIY approach is excellent for individuals who love to cook.
  • Pot Luck: Pot luck is a wonderful way to add variety to your meal. This option is perfect when serving a buffet-style meal. Ask people attending your Friendsgiving to bring a dish to pass. Keep a running list of dishes and desserts to ensure a wide array of food.
  • Catered: Have your Thanksgiving meal delivered. The catered approach is perfect for busy individuals.

Use the menu approach that is best for you. If needed, combine the methods to make your Friendsgiving a meal to remember. For example, you could cook the main meal but have the desserts delivered. Or one of your guests could make desserts. The choice is entirely up to you.

Activities

Yes, you may serve your food, eat, and just chill with your friends. Or you can have other activities to make your Friendsgiving fun.

  • Watch football
  • Watch a movie
  • Play board games
  • Play video games

Create a Photo Booth

Remember your Friendsgiving with pictures. Create an area in your home for a photo booth.

  • Use a backdrop (a new sheet or cloth is excellent for an instant backdrop).
  • Add props for more fun. For example, you can use a turkey hat, signs, fake mustaches, and funny sunglasses. The accessories do not have to be expensive. You can even make your own.
  • Develop a unique hashtag for your Friendsgiving.
  • Post the photos in your private group so everyone can see the results.

Whether you are only having a couple people over or an entire household, planning a Friendsgiving is a fantastic spin on the Thanksgiving holiday gathering.

 

 

Please note: “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

Start a New Thanksgiving Tradition

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to give thanks for everything in your life. Gathering friends and family for a bountiful meal is a long-standing holiday tradition. Are you looking for a new tradition to go beyond gathering around the dinner table? Consider the following ideas:

  • Donate one or two turkeys and all the fixings for a family in need
  • Volunteer at a homeless shelter or other community organization
  • Donate groceries or money to your local food bank
  • Invite your elderly neighbor over for Thanksgiving dinner
  • Unplug for social media. (Yes, wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, but then put your device on vibrate.)
  • Bake (or order) an extra pie for your neighbor, dog groomer, hairstylist, postal worker, child’s teacher, bus driver, etc.
  • Stay in your pajamas, eat a buffet-style breakfast, and watch the Thanksgiving parade together
  • Make homemade Thanksgiving decorations, placemats, and name tags
  • Set up a craft area to occupy children while you are preparing the meal.
  • Watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving 
  • Binge-watch your favorite series
  • Host a Friendsgiving
  • If the weather allows, get aside as a family, go for a walk, go for a nature hike, or play touch football.
  • Play cards or board games
  • Participate in a Turkey Trot
  • Go on a trip
  • Take a group photo
  • Write your Thanksgiving blessings on leaf-shaped notecards and hang on a tree. Or collect them to save in your scrapbook

Spending time together is the best tradition. Enjoy each other’s company during the downtime of the busy holiday.

 

Just a quick note: ha“As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”

November Photo Prompt Ideas

November brings numerous opportunities for photos. Depending on where you live, you may begin to see snow. Holiday decorations will start appearing. Thanksgiving (US) is at the end of the month. Make memories with photography is a perfect way to remember the month of November.

November Photo Prompts

  1. Selfie (always begin each month with a new selfie)
  2. Clouds
  3. Landscape or Skyscape
  4. Water
  5. Chocolate
  6. Love
  7. Socks
  8. Thanksgiving or Harvest decorations
  9. Sunset/Sunrise
  10. Current view
  11. Close
  12. Grateful
  13. Animal
  14. Time
  15. Orange
  16. Signs
  17. Soft
  18. Favorite Snack
  19. Yellow
  20. Something to Your Left
  21. Distance
  22. Weather or Snow
  23. Nature
  24. Turkey
  25. Beverage
  26. Green
  27. Something to Your Right
  28. Happy Thanksgiving! Your Thanksgiving View
  29. Favorite Pie or Other Dessert
  30. Holidays

Ideas to Keep Kids Busy on Thanksgiving

The Thanksgiving holiday is a perfect time to enjoy for friends and family. The large family gathering brings happiness, joy and a lot of noise. Often when grownups are busy with prepping the meal, the kids lose interest. Planning activity areas will help chase away the boredoms and keep kids happy.

Craft Table

Provide a Thanksgiving-themed craft area. Keeping children entertained, crafts help increase imagination and fine motor skills. Children love to create. Display the craft items proudly throughout the Thanksgiving meal. Do not forget to send the prized craft home with the child.

A craft table may include:

  • Construction paper
  • Drawing paper
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Rocks
  • Turkey print templates
  • Popsicle sticks
  • Crayons, markers, pencils, or paints
  • Yarn
  • Feathers
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Sequins or glitter (if you are brave)
  • Stickers
  • Add different forms of collage materials such as pasta, magazines, clip art, etc.

Stopping at your local dollar store will allow you to find a wide range of crafting materials at a low price.

Quiet Space

Some children need a break from the continuous hustle and bustle of a holiday. Creating a quiet space provides a retreat from the noise.

  • Designate a specific room or child’s bedroom as a quiet place. Set up cots or blanket areas for resting.
  • Consider building an indoor tent with pillows, blankets, and books. Children will love the creative touch.
  • Set up a children’s table with books.
  • Movie area with family appropriate

Gaming Area

Setting up a table with board games or a separate area with a gaming system is a perfect way to entertain children. Provide numerous choices. Checking age guidelines, ask parents if the game is appropriate. Ask a teen or an adult to supervise the gaming area.

Go Outdoors

Weather permitting, go outside. Take a walk around the yard or to the park. Being outdoors is a great way to build up an appetite before the big meal.

Spending extra time to set up kid’s areas benefits both you and the children. As an adult, you will be able to concentrate on the meal prep and catching up with relatives. Being social, the children get to spend time with cousins or peers.