Thanksgiving — while to most of us it is merely a long weekend to look forward to – the holiday is rooted traditions older than we can really know. Groups of people and families gather the fall harvest and then celebrate together, their appreciation and happiness.
So, you might be asking yourself, what is there to do this weekend, other than eat and sleep? LOTS. You can visit a pumpkin patch or a you-pick farm, shop the local farmer’s markets, spend a day exploring a park or reserve or even your own backyard. There are so many ways to make this Thanksgiving weekend more memorable than any other (and none of them has to break the bank!).
Our Thanksgiving Weekend Ideas
Dry some orange peels: Dried peels make a nice addition to your tea or can be added to stirfrys or other dishes. Scrape away as much of the pith as you can and toast the peels in a 200 C oven until completely dry. Store in an air tight container away from direct sunlight (if citrus in food or tea isn’t your thing, toss them in with the kindling in your fire — orange is a more potent wake-up than drinking a cup of coffee).
Use your eggshells to make chalk: Use up the eggshells from your family brunch to make chalk for the kids and then usher them outside after dinner to draw pictures on the driveway or the sidewalk. Voila. After-dinner coffee time for the adults sans kids.
Make fairly healthy dessert with few ingredients: Core one crisp, fresh apple or pear for each person. Fill the hole with a few chocolate chips, some maple syrup, peanut butter, nuts, caramel pieces, raisins, chopped nuts and/or instant coffee (any combination will work, really). Bake in a 375 oven for about an hour and then serve, with ice cream or whipped cream and enjoy.
Read: There are so many amazing books out there. Read to yourself, read to your kids. Curl up on the back deck under a blanket after dinner and indulge in a great read like Harry Potter.
Start a sweet potato vine: Did you buy a bunch of sweet potatoes at the farmer’s market and receive less than a triumphant greeting from your kids at the mention of a sweet potato pie? Grow a vine from the left over potatoes (sweet potato vines are beautiful and they grow quickly). Cut a sweet potato in half and stick some toothpicks in the side to hold the potato above up when placed on top of a jar of water (potato should not touch the water). When roots develop cover them with soil . Soon green leaves develop, creating a beautiful houseplant for winter.
Rake Leaves: Get the kids to come outside with you and leave their video games behind. There is nothing more satisfying than raking a pile of leaves together and then jumping into them.
Introduce the family to a new salsa: Use fresh fall fruits and vegetables (Satsuma oranges, heirloom tomatoes, sweet corn, apples, grapes) with sweet or regular onions and fresh herbs.
Make leaf art: Gather the most colourful autumn leaves and arrange them on pieces of waxed paper. Top with a second piece of waxed paper and iron to weld. Scallop edges with scissors and you have homemade placemats or original pieces of art for your walls.
Make your own fruit candy: Great for snacks and to pack in lunches, making your own “fruit leather” is easy. See instructions here.
See? A long weekend doesn’t have to be boring or expensive. What are you doing for Thanksgiving weekend?
Image Credit: xrays:photography
