Thanksgiving, It's About More Than the Food

When we think of Thanksgiving we tend to conjure up images of cornucopias overflowing with food and eating for hours on end while football games play in the background. To limit Thanksgiving to merely turkey, stuffing, pie, and all of the other traditional foods would be shortsighted. Thanksgiving offers opportunities to bond, reconnect, and even exercise.

While we're not saying that Thanksgiving is a time to shun food, we're saying that the main objective shouldn't be to consume food past the point of enjoyment. Eat, laugh, and enjoy the foods of the holiday, but there doesn't need to be an expectation of eating past the point of being full.

Let's take the opportunity to highlight what's great about Thanksgiving outside of the food. Thanksgiving can bring families together to reconnect after extend periods apart. These social opportunities are a great way to learn about family anecdotes, traditions, and how your mom or dad got that unique nickname. The socialization doesn't have to stop at the first dish, socialization while consuming the food is a great way to pace your consumption.

These family gatherings don't have to just center around the table. A great way to kick off Thanksgiving day and get the family moving is a Thanksgiving day 5k more traditionally known as a Turkey Trot. The 5k run is a great way to get everybody up early and start their day with some physical activity. There are memories abound at 5k races and somebody in the family gets the bragging rights to fastest in the family.

The physical traditions of thanksgiving don't have to stop at 5k races, make the holiday your own by adding a new unconventional tradition. Play a round of golf, hit the park of some basketball, or if you're in an area with cooperating whether, go to the beach for a family swim.

At camp we see meals as a precious time to fuel our bodies and connect with our fellow campers, Thanksgiving dinner should be no different. Enjoy each bite and savor the flavor, while also savoring the conversations with your relatives and loved ones. A happy thanksgiving to all of you from the Camp New Heights' family.