Thanksgiving Weekend Party Ideas For Friends And Family

You've planned your Thanksgiving dinner, and everyone is excited. But what do you do with your family and friends after you've enjoyed the big feast? Here are a few fun and funky party ideas you can whip up in a snap to entertain your Thanksgiving guests and family over the long weekend.

Scrapbook Party — Tell each person to bring over a bunch of photos and you will supply the rest. Buy enough scrapbooking supplies, including scrapbooks, paper with pretty patterns, glitter, glue, and many fun stickers. Assemble around your table with plenty of snacks, and when everyone's done, let the group share their books by passing them around the table.

Create a Movie Theater — Set up your living room like a movie cinema. Give everyone a job, like popping the popcorn or selecting the movies. Give one person the task of making movie tickets out of construction paper and have someone collect them before the movie-goers enter the theater. Serve popcorn in brown bags, with a selection of boxed candies and sodas. 

Tell Stories — Everyone loves a good story, so tell each guest to think of one before they arrive. The stories can be something real, funny, or something totally made up. Build a tent made of sheets and pillows to tell the stories in, just like you did when you were a kid. This makes a really different environment and pulls creativity out of your guests. Make it even more kid-friendly and do this in the evening with flashlights and candles under the tent. 

Play Board Games — Board games are always a hit and provides hours of fun. Try finding throwback board games from when you were a kid, so you can share them with your children and friends. Another option is to bring out the old favorites like Candy Land, Life, Pictionary, and Scattegories. They may seem silly, but that's the point and everyone will get a kick out of it. 

Here are a few additional tips: serve fun food during your gatherings, such as homemade soups, cheese fondue, and baskets of bread. For dessert, set up a candy bar with plenty of chocolate, baked goods, and fruity candies. Place some small bags on the table next to the candies so each family can take some goodies home.

Gatherings with friends and family can be clever and fun, so make it different this Thanksgiving and give everyone a kick of renewed life and energy with your plucky ideas.