Thanksgiving is a time of gratitude, sharing, connecting, and giving back. Embrace this energy and engage your employees in some fun Thanksgiving office activities!

We’ve made a list of 9 of the best Thanksgiving ideas for your office. All of which induce a sense of inclusivity, safety, inspiration, motivation, and positivity in the workplace. 

9 best ways to celebrate Thanksgiving in the office

1. Build a wall of thanks

Everyone enjoys being appreciated in all areas of life. One of the keys to retaining high performers at your company is recognition and reward. However, some people aren’t as keen to be the center of attention when acknowledged.

For your office Thanksgiving, dedicate a portion of the office walls as a space to honor each other. Create a Wall of Thanks to show your gratitude toward all your employees. 

After all, Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks, is it not?

Allocate each employee the same number of cards (one less than all the employees in the office). Now, each office worker must write each team member’s name at the top of each different card, accompanied by one thing they appreciate about the person.

Mix up all the cards and attach them to your Wall of Thanks for your employees to read throughout the work day.

Ensure that you, as the employer or HR worker, participate as well, to involve yourself in forming the strong interpersonal bonds fostered by mutual appreciation.

2. Host a recipe contest

In addition to giving thanks, this time of year also revolves around food. But while you’re eating and expressing gratitude to one another, it’s important to recognize Native American Heritage Month. 

One food-based Thanksgiving office contest idea we have is to hold a recipe contest that honors indigenous recipes by indigenous chefs. 

Each employee is required to find and cook or bake an indigenous recipe that honors Native American culture. Host a potluck to which all employees must bring their dishes. At the end of sharing the bountiful feast, a vote is cast for the most delicious and sumptuous dish and a winner is picked!

For further inclusivity, encourage every employee-turned-chef to report what dish they plan to create with the group. This way, you can ensure all dietary requirements are catered for, such as vegan, vegetarian, lactose-intolerant, gluten-free, and so on.

3. Arrange a cooking class

Another manner in which to bring your employees together with the Thanksgiving theme of food is to organize a cooking class!

Do some research on cooking classes in the area. Keep an eye open for cookie decorating classes, cranberry sauce-making classes, healthy cooking master classes, and more.

Alternatively, you can hire someone to come into the office to facilitate a cooking workshop. Bear in mind that it will be your job to supply the ingredients and make certain that there are enough appliances and room for all team members to participate.

4. Give back

We’ve covered the Thanksgiving themes of showing appreciation and sharing food. Now, what about giving to the community?

Offer your staff paid time to volunteer together as a team! Construct a poll of various volunteer opportunities in which your company could participate. Then allow everyone to vote to decide which cause you’ll be supporting this year.

Some of our favorite Thanksgiving volunteering ideas include soup kitchens, trash cleanups, tree planting, food donations, clothing, toys, and fundraising. 

Fundraising specifically provides space for healthy competition. Each department can decide on a method to collect money for different organizations. Let them compete against each other for a prize to see which team can raise the most money to donate to their chosen NGO, cause, or charity.

5. Flag football

Games are an excellent way in which to nurture a sense of relaxation, fun, and de-stressing during this holiday time. Football is a classic Thanksgiving activity!

Avoid the hands-on, physical nature of classic football, which could easily have negative repercussions, by hosting a game of Flag Football instead. This is a much safer and more comfortable game that’ll also help you avoid workplace injuries.

The game is played with two teams pitted against each other. Each player is presented with a team flag that they must tie around their waists. The game is played by replacing normal football tackling with pulling off opposing team members’ flags. 

Arrange multiple mini-games and allocate plenty of time for this activity so that everyone who wants to participate has the option to.

6. Get outside

A lot of Thanksgiving traditions revolve around sitting. In addition to a hearty game of flag football, schedule a peaceful, soul-quenching adventure into nature.

Aim for a spot that is local and accessible to everyone. Consider a hike or walk in a forest, mountain, or park. But be mindful that the people in your office likely have different physical abilities. 

Your goal should not be to race to the top of the steepest incline and the highest peak. Prioritize fun and inclusivity. For example, you could arrange a tranquil walk in a park or a gentle forest meander to a picnic spot for some snacks and team bonding time.

7. Holiday-themed two truths and a lie

You and your employees are going to be sharing a feast, gratitude, and experiences over Thanksgiving. Why not augment this sense of community by sharing personal stories in a casual environment?

Two Truths and a Lie is a popular game and a brilliant Thanksgiving office party idea. This game dissolves any seriousness involved in making connections and replaces it with a more lighthearted energy. 

Gather everyone into a circle. Allow each person a turn to share three holiday-themed facts about themselves. Two must be truths and one must be a lie. The rest of the group must then guess which of the three facts is a lie. 

This kind of game is a simple, informal way to foster connection and active listening, enhance company culture, learn about your employees, and give everyone a good old cathartic laugh.

8. Do a Thanksgiving craft together

Get creative with your employee Thanksgiving ideas. Do some Thanksgiving arts and crafts with your team. Prompt your employees to participate by asking for their opinions on what creative activity they would find the most enjoyable.

Design flower arrangements. Carve pumpkins. Decorate pots for succulents. Construct autumn paper lanterns to hang in the office walkways. Or make gratitude jars to preserve the aura of Thanksgiving all year round. 

Once you’ve made a group decision, it’s your job to ensure all art materials and mediums are available on the day. For example, if the office decides to have a holiday-themed painting party, be certain that you have enough easels, paint colors, paint brushes, and more, for everyone to share.

9. Meditation

Holidays can be incredibly stressful times. We may love cooking, eating, and spending quality time with our friends and families! However, the preparation, organization, planning, and budgeting involved in these get-togethers can become rather exhausting.

A focus on the health and wellness of your employees is a fantastic way to inspire employee engagement and retention. So, hold the space for your employees to unwind and practice self-care in the form of a meditation session this Thanksgiving. 

And if this office Thanksgiving idea is a success, why not create a habit out of the experience?

Prepare a space with cushions and seating arrangements that cater to various physical abilities. Consider how you’ll maneuver around auditory and visual distractions such as a noisy road or office, or cellphones chiming throughout the session. You want to make the space as comforting, calming, and safe as possible.

Find an experienced guide to lead the class or choose an online meditation video or audio. Gather everyone together, get comfortable, and enjoy a blissful moment of mindfulness.

Final thoughts

When employees feel appreciated, they’re more likely to stick around. Who doesn’t want a lower turnover rate?

So, don’t make acknowledgment and gratitude a Thanksgiving theme alone. Incorporate this energy into the general company culture.

Use this list of Thanksgiving office ideas and activities as a jumping board to develop a more positive office aura in general. And if you’d like to treat your employees with some Thanksgiving gifts, then check out PerkUp today. Our platform simplifies the employee gift-giving process so that you can reward your employees effortlessly no matter the occasion.