Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated by nearly all Americans as a day to express gratitude for the prosperous year. It’s a time to spend with your family and friends and appreciate each other. There are many ways to celebrate the holiday, but here are some must-do activities that you should definitely add to your list. 

Gratitude Cards

Thanksgiving is a great time to reflect on those who have helped you throughout the year and express who you are grateful for. To let your loved ones know why they are meaningful in your life, write them a card this holiday season. The card can include why you are thankful for them, what makes them special to you and much more. These cards strengthen connections, make people feel appreciated and show that you care about your relationship with them. Make sure to decorate the card with color or pictures to add sentimental value!

Turkey Trot

This holiday is all about spending time with your family and friends and what better way to do that than a Turkey Trot? The Turkey Trot is a race run within your community, welcoming people of all fitness levels and ages. Running is a great way to improve social connections as well as cardiovascular fitness. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, the activity improves your mood by releasing endorphins in your brain. A local one to attend is the Bank of Marin Turkey Trot in Novato, which starts at 1 p.m. They have a one-mile race, as well as 5k or 10k options for more advanced runners. To make this activity even more enjoyable, create a costume with your family of custom team shirts, dress up with fall colors or even dress up as a turkey!

Volunteer with family and friends

To give back to your community this holiday season, volunteer with your family and friends, and make a positive impact on people in need. Volunteering is a great way to spend time with your family while helping the community. This season is about being thankful and giving back for all that you have, and you can use your resources to help people who are not as fortunate. You can volunteer by participating in food drives, helping out at a soup kitchen or donating to a clothing drive as the chilly winter months approach. Some opportunities in Marin include SF-Marin Food Bank, St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin County and many others.

Tune in to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade

A classic way to spend your Thanksgiving morning is turning on your TV and tuning in to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. This televised parade occurs in New York City, where the route spans two and a half miles. The parade has been an ongoing tradition since 1924, including elaborate floats, vibrant balloons and performances from popular singers as well as school bands, cheerleaders and dancers. Toward the end of the parade, the Radio City Rockettes perform, keeping alive a tradition that many look forward to. To conclude the parade, Santa enchants the audience on an extravagant sleigh float, leading us into the holiday season. The parade begins promptly at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time, and you can watch it on National Broadcasting Company (NBC), Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) or Paramount Plus.

Through all these activities, you can connect with your loved ones and show your appreciation for their role in your life. Doing any of these together allows you to spend quality time while doing something unique to the season. After celebrating these activities, this holiday season will surely bring you joy, pumpkin spice and everything nice.