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Fun Thanksgiving Traditions to Start with Your Family this Year

Old traditions hold a special place in all of our hearts, but there’s also nothing wrong with throwing something new into the mix.

Here are seven of our favorite “new” Thanksgiving traditions.

7 Thanksgiving Traditions to Start

1. Decorate your table with thankful thoughts. Start by using butcher’s paper as your tablecloth. Then scatter crayons on the table and encourage everyone to write one thing they’re thankful for.

2. Do a digital detox. Ban all devices, including cell phones, computers, and tablets for just this one day. Here’s betting that, by the end of the day, you’ll feel happy and relaxed.

3. Collect toys to donate. The holidays are coming—and that means an infusion of new toys from Santa and (even more generous) grandparents. Use Thanksgiving to teach your child empathy by having her pick a half dozen or so toys to donate.

4. Start the day with a turkey trot—or hike. If your community has an organized fun run, consider joining in. But you could also head to your local hiking trail for some fresh air with the family—or even just take a walk through your neighborhood.

5. Serve gratitude rolls. Begin by cutting up parchment paper into small strips. Then, distribute one to guests and have them write one thing they’re thankful for. Then, using crescent rolls, wrap each note with dough and bake. Everyone will have fun “opening” their roll and guessing who was thankful for what.

6. Have dinner in a hotel—and maybe spend the night. It’s a lot of work to cook Thanksgiving dinner—and not everyone is up for it. Start a new tradition by spending a night at a local hotel. Pick some place on a lake, in the mountains, or even in the city. If you have little ones, make sure it has an indoor pool and take a dip after dinner.

7. Break free from turkey, if you want. If you find you’re sticking to this tradition for no real reason, then change things up. Have everybody bring a favorite dish. Or have a pie-fest (think quiche, chicken pot pie, pork pie, and dessert pies). Be creative and do what you want. The important thing is to be thankful; not to eat turkey.

Thanksgiving and StorageMart

At StorageMart, we’re thankful for all of the communities we serve. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. We hope you enjoy both new traditions and old this holiday season