6 Budget Friendly Thanksgiving Traditions

Walk around just about any department store or super center store and you’d think it was time for Christmas already. I actually bought battery operated Christmas lights to light up our Halloween pumpkins this year! While I like to start my Christmas shopping early, you won’t find any Christmas decorations up at my house until after Thanksgiving. After all, Thanksgiving is in November, when we all need to take a few steps back and reflect on what we’re thankful for this year.

Here are a few budget friendly Thanksgiving traditions you may want to think about trying out this year.

1. Make a Giving Thanks Tree
   • This is really simple and can make a really cute center piece or decoration. You can use “real” small tree branches and tie dye cut leaves on them. Another idea is to draw a tree on paper and then glue the leaves on them. You can have your kids write what they are thankful for on each leaf or wait until Thanksgiving Day and have guests add their own leaves.
   
   
2. Make place cards for everyone
   • Use cardstock to make a place card for each Thanksgiving guest. Have your kids write the names on them and decorate the cards. We used to do this with my grandparents every holiday, and we always put small snack cups with them.
   
   
3. Make a Thanksgiving table cloth
   • Start with a solid colored table cloth and have guests sign, date, and write what they are thankful for on it. You can use this for years to come.
   
   
4. Watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade together
   • The parade will air on NBC from 9am to noon Eastern Time.
   
   
5. Rent a Thanksgiving holiday movies
   
   • A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, Home for the Holidays, or Planes, Trains, and Automobiles are a few of the favorite movies at our house.
   
   
6. Go Shopping!
   • So while going shopping may not necessarily be a budget friendly tradition, it has become a tradition for my family and friends the past few years. The first year I went Black Friday shopping, I went with my sister in law and some our cousins. We had a blast and came home with a lot of things we didn’t know we needed.

November Stock up Sales

November is the month to start stocking up on all the fixings for you holiday get together. I’ve already seen the prices of soups, green beans, stuffing, and baking goods start to drop at places like Walmart and Target. I would expect to see a lot of sales on these items at other supermarkets in coming weeks. This November you’ll also want to stock up on hot beverages like coffee, tea, and hot cocoa. You’ll want those items on hand as the temperatures drop this winter.

So this year take time to celebrate Thanksgiving with your friends and family before you decorate that Christmas tree and turn on the holiday music. Also, don’t forget to get stocked up on this month’s lowest priced items!

Additional Resources

Amazing DIY Valentine’s Gifts for Your Sweetheart
Easy Yummy Holiday Brunch Recipes
Halloween Money-Saving Tips for Parents - A Home-Made Witch Costume for Your Kid
Frugal and Fun Halloween Costumes from the Closet
5 Things Kids Like to Do on the 4th of July