Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, fun, and food. Most spend the morning preparing for an afternoon filled with a delicious feast, but what do you do if you’re not the one cooking? The afternoon is booked up with the big meal, so it’s up to you to do something fun in the morning.

Things to Do Thanksgiving Morning

In all the hustle and bustle of preparing for Thanksgiving Day meals, we often forget to plan things to do Thanksgiving morning. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

  • Watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade. An old classic – families have been watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV for decades. Liven it up a little and make it interesting with a fun round of Thanksgiving Day Parade bingo. Make a bingo chart with all the items you think you might find in the parade, and the first one to yell bingo thanksgiving morning gets the first slice of pumpkin pie.
  • Run a Turkey-Trot. If you’re experiencing a bit of pre-guilt in anticipation of all the food you’re about to eat, this one is for you. Go on your local turkey trot (usually 5k) to build up a proper appetite and get some exercise before the big meal.
  • Have a mini pumpkin hunt. This is a great activity for thanksgiving morning that’s fun for groups of all ages. Put a spin on an Easter egg hunt and hide mini pumpkins everywhere – indoors and outdoors to keep it interesting. Mini pumpkins are a bit bigger than your average egg, so you might have to get clever with hiding them.
  • Prepare for Black Friday. If you’re someone who likes to get all your Christmas shopping done in one day, Black Friday is the day to do it. Why not prepare for the day after Thanksgiving by using your spare time on Thanksgiving morning to make a shopping game plan?
  • Play a game. Bond with your family over some board games, or a round of charades. If you have an idea of something new and fun that incorporates Thanksgiving, give it a shot and maybe it’ll be a new Thanksgiving tradition!
  • Volunteer at a soup kitchen. Many of us have more than others, and Thanksgiving Day can be spent serving food to less-fortunate families at a soup kitchen. If you can’t help on Thanksgiving morning, consider looking for ways to pitch in and give back to the community on the days leading up to Thanksgiving. A little kindness goes a long way.

Enjoy the Day With People You Love

Whether you’re looking for fresh ideas or you already have family traditions in place, there is an unlimited number of ways to spend your Thanksgiving morning — but the most important thing is to enjoy it with the people you love. We invite you to stop by The Original Pancake House this November to gather and share our signature dishes with your closest friends and family. In this busy holiday season, call ahead or use our Yelp Waitlist to ensure you’ve saved your spot in line. We can’t wait for you to join us in the festive fun!

(We are closed on Thanksgiving Day to be with friends and family)