There are a few essentials for every Thanksgiving celebration: family, friends, festive tunes, a few bottles of exquisite wine, an even tastier menu, pie, and more pie. Beyond that, well, it's up to you.
Thanksgiving is the beginning of the holiday season, so celebrate it surrounded by everyone that you love.
These five things should belong in your Thanksgiving traditions. It truly is the perfect recipe for a Thanksgiving celebration!
A Turkey
Does anything say Thanksgiving more than a turkey? Probably not. However, there are some great sides that you can serve up this thanksgiving alongside your turkey, like mashed potatoes, yams, and of course, pumpkin pie. Yum!
But, turkey has become an essential ingredient to a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Oh, we can't forget the stuffing. Serving turkey on Thanksgiving is a must, even if some people are not into it. You can also offer up chicken, ham, or a vegetarian Tofurky so that your guests can choose what they like.
Check out this guide on organic and free-range turkeys, some great information.
Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry sauce, or cranberry relish depending on how you make it, is the best sauce for Thanksgiving because you can put it on everything. Dip your turkey in it, put the cranberry sauce on your mashed potatoes, and add it onto your green beans if you're feeling wild. Add the tangy taste of cranberries to everything the colorful dark red it adds to the plate, but let your guest choose how they want it.
Did you know that cranberry sauce officially became part of the national Thanksgiving tradition in 1864? It's been part of the festivities for a long, long time. If you’re looking to cook your own cranberry sauce this year, we love this recipe from Jo Cooks.
Macy’s Parade
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade has been a Thanksgiving Day tradition since 1924. Each year the parade gets bigger and bigger. It's such a fun thing to do on Thanksgiving Day morning. You and your family can get together and watch the parade on TV. It's become an annual tradition for families all across the United States.
After you get the turkey roasting in the oven, turn on the parade and watch the floats and balloons march in front of the Macy's department store in New York City, joining the millions more watching the parade on TV.
Thanksgiving Football
There's no better Thanksgiving tradition than football. The tradition of football games being played every Thanksgiving Day dates all the way back to 1876. Crazy that this tradition is going strong 145 years later.
As always, the Lions and the Cowboys will be in action on Thanksgiving, with the Lions playing the earlier of the two afternoon games.
Get all the info you need for Thanksgiving Day football here.
Holiday Videos & VidDay
The Miracle on 34th Street is one of those holiday videos you should watch. The story itself includes the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade as part of the plot. This film is usually shown between Thanksgiving and Christmas and has become part of most people’s Thanksgiving tradition. It is generally on TV the night of Thanksgiving or sometime during the long weekend, and many people watch it every year. Yes, you should watch the 1947 version, which is in black and white.
Make a VidDay expressing what you're grateful for this past year and wishing your friends and family a happy holiday. You can even make a year-in-review video. A year-in-review video is something that you can send out to all of your friends and family to show them what you've been up to that year. Don't forget to include all of your and your family member's accomplishments over the past year.
Collect Memories in a Year-in-Review Video
Collect all of your memories and accomplishments over the past year and add them into a beautiful video montage. Then, you can send it out to your friends and family, allowing them to catch up and your and your family's past year.
Learn more about VidDay with our Ultimate Guide to Video Making!
Start your Year In Review Video!