Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving Day Party

Ages

All

Invitations

Turkey Invitation: Trace your hand on a sheet of brown construction paper. Draw an eye or glue a wiggly eye on the thumb. Cut out a small orange triangle and glue it on the thumb for a beak. Cut out a red paper throat wattle and glue it under the chin of the turkey. Write the date, time, place and R.S.V.P on the fingers of the turkey. In the palm of the hand write a message describing the party or write a thanksgiving poem.

Write party information on a smooth surfaced gourd and hand deliver.

Make invites using Thanksgiving clip art and print on card stock. Go to www.leehansen.com for some Thanksgiving Day clip art. Add leaf confetti to the envelopes.

Decorations

Use yellow, red, orange and brown streamers and balloons to decorate the inside and outside of the party area.

Hang Indian corn from the outside light fixtures.

Combine bundles of cornstalks and tie them with fall ribbon or hang Indian corn from the ribbon. Place gourds and pumpkins at the base of each cornstalk and place on either side of the doorway.

Place a picture of a turkey on the front door. You can print one up on the computer, make one out of brown construction paper or paper bags or purchase one. Write “Happy Thanksgiving” on or under the turkey.

Cover tables with fall colored tablecloths or placemats. Place silk or paper leaves on the tables.

Purchase small galvanized buckets at your local craft store; put 2 paper apples in each bucket. Tie a small note card to the handle of the bucket with the guest’s name on it. On one paper apple write something positive about that person and place it in the bucket. Have each guest find their bucket and ask them to write down on the other apple what they are thankful for. You can also fill each bucket with something each guest can take home such as, a piece of candy, a cookie or a small votive candle.

Use cornucopias as centerpieces. Fill them with gourds, Indian corn and leaves.

Activities

Make turkey placemats. You can make cut outs of turkeys and leaves then write what you are thankful for on each turkey. Glue them on construction paper and cover with clear contact paper.

Here’s a fun recipe and activity for an apple turkey:

1 apple per child, toothpicks, colorful gummy worms, 2 white paper turkey head shapes (one for the left side and one for the right side) per child, and crayons.

Have the children draw a face on the turkey head and glue the two pieces together onto a toothpick. Lay the apple on the side and push the toothpick into the bottom end of the apple. Push one gummy worm onto each toothpick. Leave half of the toothpick exposed. Make about 10 per turkey. Push the other end of the toothpick into the apple to create the tail feathers on the turkey.

Here’s a simple idea to make Indian head bands. You can make easy Indian head bands by measuring a child’s head with construction paper, stapling it and have the child glue feathers, sequins and other fun craft items to the head band.

Here is a different version of hot potato called hot corn. You will need an ear of Indian corn, a drum or tin can and a drum stick or a wooden spoon. Have the children and adults sit in a circle. Hand one child the Indian corn. Have an adult beat the drum or tin can. When the drum starts beating then the Indian corn is passed around the circle. When the drum stops beating, then the person who is holding the corn is out of the game. That person is then given a special treat. The game continues until one person is left not holding the ear of corn. That person is the winner!

This is a fun time to have a corn husking contest because you can cook up the corn after the game. You can also have a pumpkin pie eating contest after dinner. Serve each player a slice of pie. The person who finishes it first wins a whole pie.

As a kid, I remember playing the “Ha” game. Have each player lay on the floor with their heads on each other’s stomach. The first player says “Ha”, the second player says “Ha, Ha”. Then the third player adds on another “Ha” and this continues until someone laughs. Those that do laugh are eliminated. The winner is the last one or two players that are left.

Here’s a fun game called The Turkey Game. All you need is paper and a pencil for each player and a pair of dice. Each player rolls the dice until someone rolls a pair of sixes to start drawing the picture of a turkey. Then each player will need these numbers to complete their turkey pictures.

2 sixes: body

A number 2: leg

A number 3: toe

A number 4: neck

A number 5: wattle

A number 6: eye’s

Numbers adding up to 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 for the 5 tail feathers

The first person to finish drawing their turkey first wins!

Food

Use some of your family traditions for the menu. If you want to try something new you can look up Autumn Harvest food recipes in my recipe section. www.tasteofhome.com and www.bhg.com along with www.foodnetwork.com have some great recipes for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Prizes/Goody Bags

You can use candy corn, popcorn balls, boxes of cracker jacks, small footballs, pumpkin and turkey shaped cookies, bead necklaces for prizes and goody bags.

Thank You cards

You can make toilet paper cardboard tubes treats. Cover each tube with tissue paper or wrapping paper, tie one end with curling ribbon, fill the tube with candy corn or other small treats. Tie the other end with curling ribbon. Write the name of each guest on each tube or you can write, “We are truly blessed you are here”. These make great place card settings or take home gifts.