Thanksgiving Traditions

Image via clarkmaxwell on Flickr

It’s my favorite time of the year – Thanksgiving. I have always loved the time around Thanksgiving, maybe even more so than Christmas time. It’s a time to step back and reflect on what you’re thankful for, which we sometimes forget to do in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

As with many holidays, your family and friends probably have classic or quirky traditions that they do every year. Traditions are a sort of glue that hold loved ones together, even when they’re separated most of the year. For example, my family always watches the Thanksgiving Day Parade while my mom preps the food. We usually sit down to our big meal around 3pm, which means the food comas have set in by 4pm. For the rest of the evening we sit in the living room and watch all of the Thanksgiving episodes of Friends.

This year, however, we’re starting a new tradition. Our Thanksgiving is fun and relaxing, but we never do anything active. Some families play touch football or go for hikes. Taking a cue from them, we’ve signed up for a 5k Turkey Trot to take place on Thanksgiving morning. That way we’ll get out and get moving before we sit down and give thanks over a delicious meal. That doesn’t mean we’re cutting out our Friends marathon, but we’re creating a new tradition that promotes a happy and healthy lifestyle.

So this year, give thanks for your health and the gift of the outdoors. Grab whoever you celebrate the holiday with and go for a nice bike ride, hike a local trail, or sign up for a Turkey Trot near you. You’ll feel like you worked for your post-turkey nap!