Include the Outdoors in Thanksgiving Traditions

So the BIG day is just around the corner!  In three days we will be gathering around the table to enjoy a delicious turkey dinner with family and friends. My little ones are getting excited about the upcoming holiday. We are hosting Thanksgiving dinner and our family members will be starting to arrive on Wednesday. The preparations for the feast started on Saturday with silver polishing, meal planning, grocery list making and centerpiece creating. Now the hustle and bustle begins with grocery shopping, cooking, ironing, setting, baking and everything else I am forgetting to add to the list.

It always takes so much effort to prepare a feast that lasts for an hour (15 minutes for the kids). But it’s about more than just the eating — it’s about family, creating memories, relaxing and enjoying a delicious meal that was lovingly and thoughtfully prepared and being thankful for all that you have and have been given. I have been hosting Thanksgiving for many years and with each year my meal and timing improve (I think), though I am still having trouble with the timing the making of the gravy. Thank goodness my Mom is always there to save it from being a total flop.

If Thanksgiving is a tradition in your family, you can include the outdoors. One of our favorite activities is to go for an stroll after Thanksgiving dinner. It’s usually dark, but but we arm ourselves with flashlights and go anyway. There is something about taking a walk in the brisk air that keeps you from feeling like a big lug after the meal. On clear nights you can look to skies to enjoy the sight of the moon and stars. In the arc of the light from the flash lights, you can see leaves blowing across the road and sometimes a raccoon or fox scurrying into the woods.

Some families play football or go to watch a football game, some go hunting and others go for a hike or run in a turkey trot. How does your family include the outdoors in your Thanksgiving tradition? Instead of passing out on the couch, why not get everyone together do something outside this year?  It is a great way to spend time with family, doing something healthy, and connect with nature. Why not create a new family tradition?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Enjoy!