Thanksgiving Family Fun

Everyone looks forward to Thanksgiving Day. People travel hundreds of miles to share a meal and the weekend with their family members. Kids come home from college and long-lost relatives are found. If you are hosting Thanksgiving this year, here are some ideas for fun away from the dinner table.

In Thanksgiving family tradition, people start arriving Tuesday or Wednesday of that week. The first thing that they want to smell when they step through the door is fresh baked rolls, apple or pumpkin pie, and some turkey. Forget it. It's too early to smell the dinner, but it's not too early to have some fun.

1. Get the group together for a night of fun. The firs thing everyone wants to do is find out where they are sleeping and get a chance to catch up. Spend the first night doing just that. Tell stories about childhood mishaps and Thanksgiving dinners growing up. You laugh until you ache. I know I do. If you have them, watch some old home movies.

2. How about some football? On Thanksgiving Day, the guys and some of the girls will be camped out in front of the television watching all the football they broadcast. Before that day, play a pickup game of touch football in the back yard. Invite a few friends over who are in town and get a great game going. It'll probably be the most exercise you'll get all weekend so take advantage of it.

3. Have the kids make Thanksgiving decorations. Even though it'll be the next day, it's not too late. Collect some leaves from the yard and make Thanksgiving cards for the family. Spray paint some of those leaves and create a holiday wreath for the door. My favorite from school was making Thanksgiving "hand" turkeys. Cut them out and use the turkeys for place cards at the dinner table.

4. Go for a walk around the neighborhood. Maybe Thanksgiving is in your hometown this year in the house you grew up in. Take some time and see how the place has changed. While you are out visit some old friends.

5. What about a night out on the town? Sorry kids, you'll have to sit this one out. The adults can get together and dance the night away at a popular hotspot in town. Burn off some of that Thanksgiving dinner.

6. Play some cards or a game of charades. My family loves to get together and play a few hands of their favorite card games. Don't jump into the game unless you are serious about winning. Charades is fun for the kids and so is karaoke.

Time spent together at Thanksgiving is not just for eating. Get out and do some things with the people you love most in the world. The family that plays together stays together.