Thanksgiving —the one time of the year when we all let our diets go and allow ourselves to indulge in sweet treats, savory side dishes and naps to replace what are normally workouts. I’ve always thought Thanksgiving didn’t get enough credit as a holiday, since it’s often overshadowed by the mass hysteria that is Black Friday, and many of us tend to gloss over it in preparation for Christmas or Hanukkah.
Anyway, we all hopefully have some time to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, so here are just a few things Dallas-Fort Worth has to offer this week:
- A trip to Thanks-giving Square is a must for Dallasites. Nestled Downtown, the small park, chapel and museum’s most noticeable feature looks a lot like a giant ice cream cone. Despite its unusual aesthetic, Thanks-giving Square is supposed to be a place that inspires thoughts of gratitude, peace and unity. It’s really a breath of fresh air in the hustle and bustle of Downtown Dallas, plus it’s a great photo op for family members who might be passing through Dallas. If you want to practice being grateful, check out Thanks-giving Square. Click here for more information.
- The Trains at NorthPark are relatively inexpensive and truly a sight to behold for all ages. With family in town for Turkey Day, it’s the perfect afternoon activity. Benefitting the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas, the trains are displayed along several cityscapes, including Dallas, of course. It’s always a kick to point out our city’s landmarks at the exhibit, and I hear the State Fair of Texas display is pretty impressive this year. All aboard! Click here for more information.
- The Dallas Cowboys are playing the Oakland Raiders Thanksgiving Day in keeping with their annual tradition. Even if you’re not a Cowboys fan, there’s just something wrong about not flipping on America’s Team on Turkey Day (I feel the same way about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade). Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m., and the game at AT&T Stadium will feature Grand Prairie native Selena Gomez as the halftime entertainment.
- Watching “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” never gets old, and it’s appropriate for young children—something that is becoming more rare. We’ll watch Lucy try to convince Charlie Brown to kick the football and hear Marcie share words of wisdom: “Thanksgiving is more than eating, Chuck…we should just be thankful for being together.” The short film will play on ABC Thursday evening at 7 p.m. Don’t miss it!
- It’s not too late to sign up for the Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot, which goes on in Downtown Dallas. Start off your day with a brisk 8-mile run and reverse-burn some calories at City Hall Plaza. From the looks of it, there will be some folks dressed as turkeys there. Who could ask for anything more? For those of you who are further north, run the North Texas Turkey Trot, held at Frisco’s Forest Park Medical Center on Thanksgiving morning. This particular Turkey Trot benefits The Miracle League of Frisco.
- Thanksgiving Weekend in the Stockyards kicks off the holiday season in this part of Fort Worth and offers plenty of fun family activities post-turkey hangover. Starting on Black Friday, Nov. 29 and until Sunday, Dec. 1, you’ll be able to enjoy face-painting, time with Santa Claus and daily gunfight shows for a good ‘ol Western time. Click here for more information.
- Donate a Thanksgiving meal (in the form of cash) to Operation Once in a Lifetime. A Dallas-based non-profit, this organization seeks to make the dreams of soldiers come true when they’re overseas, and one of the ways they do that is by providing hundreds of Thanksgiving meals to the families of deployed military units in need of some extra assistance. This might be a meaningful opportunity for your family to gather and give to the families of our brave soldiers and veterans. Click here for more information.
- The Macy’s Grand Tree Lighting Celebration at the Galleria is always a magical way to ring in the holiday season. The day after Thanksgiving, the tree will be lit up at noon, and professional ice-skaters including Olympian Kurt Browning will entertain. There will also be another skate show Saturday, the 30th at 6 p.m. Click here for more information. Fort Worth’s Parade of Lights is another opportunity to see holiday illumination and enjoy a festive parade. Tons of kid’s activities and food will be available, and “Cowboy Santas” are going to collect toys for low-income children. Check out more about the Parade of Lights here.
Since many Thanksgiving-week festivities give way to Christmas-themed events, we’ll follow up with some fun happenings in the area for the holidays. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy time with your family around the table Thursday. Happiest of Thanksgivings!