It can be hard to manage all the details of Thanksgiving day. Either you are traveling and dealing with all that goes with that, or you are preparing a meal yourself. (I’ve done both, sometimes in the same year! And they both present their own challenges!) So, trying to create special family moments can feel like too much. The good news, though, is that there are a lot of easy ways to add some extra flair—and family fun—to your Thanksgiving.

Following you’ll find some of our favorite family traditions. (We don’t always do them on Thanksgiving Day. Some we do “Thanksgiving Eve” or the week leading up to it.) 

CHARLIE BROWN’S THANKSGIVING:

Every year we watch “Charlie Brown’s Thanksgiving”. Despite a shocking lack of parental involvement, the familiar faces of Charlie & his friends add a special element to our Thanksgiving. We have a “feast” with the Peanuts of the same food that Snoopy and Woodstock prepare for them—popcorn, jellybeans, toast and pretzels. 

THANKFULNESS TREE:

Shared in another post, you can find it here.

CANDY TURKEYS:

This varies a little year by year, but a few of our favorites have been:

OREO TURKEYS:

These are the simplest candy turkeys and turn out so cute!

Supplies Needed: Oreo Cookes, Candy Eyes (available at most grocery stores), Candy Corn, Butterscotch or Peanut Butter Chips, melted chocolate or frosting

Directions: Place candy corn inside of the top of the Oreo cookie to be the turkey feathers. Then “glue” on the eyes and a butterscotch/peanut butter chip with melted chocolate or frosting. If you’d like, you can use the melted chocolate to “glue” the Oreo on top of another cookie to make the turkey stand up.  

 

OREO & PB CUP TURKEYS:

Similar to the above turkeys, these are slightly more complex, but even younger kids enjoy making them!

Supplies Needed: Oreo Cookies, Mini Peanut Butter Cups, Candy Corn, Candy Eyes, red frosting, melted chocolate or frosting

Directions: Insert candy corn into a Oreo cookie to be the turkey’s tail feathers. “Glue” the peanut butter cup to the front of the cookie with the melted chocolate or frosting. Then, cut candy corn and mold with your hands to create the beak (you can also use orange gummy candy like Dots for this, do the same thing, cut it to the right size and mold it to the shape you want). “Glue” the beak and eyes to the the front of the cookie above the peanut butter cup. Then “glue” the whole thing on to the top of a cookie that is lying flat to make it stand up.

RICE CEREAL TREAT TURKEYS: 

These take a little more help for younger kids, but are worth the effort! 

Supplies Needed: Rice Cereal Treats Ingredients, melted chocolate coating (make your own with chocolate and shortening or find it ready to melt at the grocery store), candy eyes, red & orange fondant or frosting, cake pop sticks

Directions: Using the fondant, cut out orange triangles for beaks and small red “”wattles” to hang down from the beak. Then follow the directions on a box of rice cereal or marshmallows to make rice cereal treats. Then, form small squares or “turkey” shapes and insert a cake pop stick. (One of our more artistic daughter’s once crafted legs instead, as you can see in the picture. She used toothpicks, orange fondant and melted chocolate.) Make chocolate candy coating and dip the rice cereal treats in the coating until it is covered evenly. Last, add the candy eyes, nose & wattle. If you do this before it is dry, it should automatically stick. Otherwise, use a little more melted chocolate to “glue” them into place. Let dry on wax paper.

CINNAMON ROLL TURKEYS:

I know it is a little bit of overkill on a day already packed with food. But, we start each Thanksgiving with a cinnamon roll turkey. And, I have to admit, I look forward to it as much as the kids do each year! Plus, we add hard boiled eggs & its an easy & fun, connective breakfast on a busy day. 

Supplies Needed: Large canned refrigerator cinnamon rolls, bacon, small straight stick pretzels, candy corn, candy eyes, red frosting

Directions: Bake the cinnamon rolls as directed, first taking time to tuck in one end to create a flat face/neck. Then frost. Add cooked bacon in between the outer two layers on one side to the be tail feathers (see picture). Then add candy eyes, a candy corn nose, and a small drop of red frosting to be the “wattle”. As a final touch, add pretzel “feet”. 

I hope these add some special family fun to your special day!
Happiest of Thanksgivings from our family to yours!