Traditions abound on Thanksgiving, more than any other holiday. For my friend Julia, her grandmother always makes the stuffing and has used the same recipe for 40 years, refusing to share her secret ingredient. Julia, convinced the secret is a healthy dose of salt, is this year making her own stuffing to er, introduce grandma to the wonders of andouille sausage and cornbread.
Like Julia, it’s important to honor tradition but also adapt to 2012. Maybe it’s your year to start a new family tradition. Here are some options for outdoor fun for the whole family this Thanksgiving.
1. Turkey Trot
Taking place in neighborhoods all around the country, turkey trots are an excellent way to kick off the Thanksgiving holiday. The 5k (3.1 miles) brings mom, pop and kids alike down to the starting line, often times dressed up in some sort of traditional Thanksgiving attire (read: turkey costume of some sort). This race-ahem, trot-is all about the fun factor, not about your best time. You can run, jog, walk or even trot the whole way. Active.com has an excellent collection of turkey trots taking place in locations near you on this Thursday.
2. Take a hike.
You’d be surprised at how many trails are just a short drive away. Be it a casual stroll around a local pond or an exploration of a nearby state park, getting outside pre or post feast is the most simple of outdoor activities. I challenge you to make this a new tradition, every year getting out with the whole fam and checking out a new trail in your area. Trails.com provides you with a long list of trails near your zip code. And if that doesn’t motivate you, there’s no better way to stretch your belly for the second round of turkey dinner later on in the evening. 🙂
3. Kickball
That’s right, you read it here first. Football is so 20th century. Kickball is the sport for all ages, and guaranteed to be fun times. Think of the last time you played kickball. Was it in grade school? How old were you? Remember how much fun it was?! Kickball is a whole heck of a lot less physical than football, yet gets you up, moving and running around. And hopefully laughing as well. Imagine your grandfather stepping up to the plate, kicking that rubber ball with all his might and booking it to first. I’m snickering as I type, picturing that. Can you get an annual kickball turkey tournament going on with your family? Perhaps in your neighborhood?
Whatever your holiday traditions are, I hope they involve some time outside breathing in that fresh crisp air and enjoying the last few days of fall. Most of all I wish you a happy, healthy and holiday full of gratitude with (and for) the ones you love.
Football photo courtesy of goBucks2
Turkey Trot photo courtesy of Trinity Church, Princeton
Kickball photo courtesy of Ed from Ohio