Thanksgiving is associated with many things like turkey, pilgrims, football, and obviously, being grateful for the blessings in life. Party games are not typically part of a Thanksgiving celebration but when you throw an office Thanksgiving party you need some entertainment beyond a company potluck. Afterall, everyone is going to be filling up at their family gatherings, so the idea of more turkey, stuffing, and yams is probably not too appealing.
We took this challenge to come up with a list of unique and entertaining party games you can play at an office thanksgiving party. Get ready for the most fun anyone’s had a Thanksgiving event since I’ve started putting marshmallows on sweet potatoes.
Games for a Thanksgiving Office Party
First on the list is “Pin the Tail on The Turkey”. Just kdding, here is the real first game:
Turkey Bowling
Without a doubt, hurling a frozen turkey at some bowling pins should be on everyones bucket list. Turkey bowling is a fitting holiday twist on traditional bowling. Players take turns hurling a frozen turkey down a makeshift alley, attempting to knock down the pins at the other end.
This kooky contest is sure to get the competitive juices flowing. The game is played like traditional bowling with a few alterations. As a Turkey is heavier and not made for rolling, You will want a shorter lane to make knocking down the pins more manageable. 10-15 feet is adequate distance to keep it challenging and still allow for some potential strikes. Adjust as needed depending on the strength and skll of your group.
Turkey Trot
Nothing infuses life and energy into a party than a dance off. The trouble is getting people into it. Offering an enticing prize (say an extra vacation day!?!) for the winner of your “turkey trot” dance competition can lure even yor most stoic co-workers.
Contestants compete to see who can most accurately and hilariously mimic the distinctive trot of a male Turkey. Great memories? Check. A roaring good time is almost guaranteed!
Name The Turkey
A “Turkey Naming Contest” is an endeavor that will bring out the creative side of your team. The contest is to see who can come up with the most creative and fitting name for a turkey. The prize is typically a delicious turkey for the winner, but it could be cash, time-off, or just about anything that would appeal to your co-workers.
Everyone would be given parameters and a deadline to submit their entries. The submissions will be voted on by a panel or the entire staff. To give people some direction, provide some parameters for the name. This could be to have the names be related to your company, or a specific aspect of your region or city.
This simple activity will surprise you with how much fun people can have as they brainstorm and converse with their outrageous ideas for names!
Turkey Gobble Competition
If you don’t have the room for a turkey trot contest, A Turkey Gobbling Contest will be equally effective at producing uproarious laughter to the office Thanksgiving party.
Watching and listening to your colleagues imitating a turkey gobble is an unexpected and ludacris competition that will ensure that your party is memorable. You might be thinking that nobody is going to want to do this, but rest assured, with the proper motivation (good prizes!), you will have volunteers lining up.
Mayflower Compact
Developing or closeness with ones co-workers takes time, but it is a sign of a healthy work environment. In the game “Mayflower Compact”, you will literally need to be close to your co-workers.
This is a game you will want to do before everyone has filled up on mashed potatoes and gravy. The goal is to see how many people you can compact into a small area. Split into teams, use tape to mark a small square area on the floor. Teams must figure out how to compact as many people they can into the box on the floor.
They can hold people balance on one foot, squeeze, and squat, but everyone must have at least one body part touching the floor. The team that fits the most people into the box wins.
Thanksgiving Fact or Fiction
The first Thanksgiving is a compelling story comprised of numerous amazing events and situations. The fact that the pilgrims survived is certainly a miracle worthy of being thankful. Take time to remember the journey of the pilgrims by organizing a contest of Thanksgiving Fact or Fiction.
To play, simply list or state some unusual or amazing Thanksgiving stories or facts about the first thanksgiving. You can provide this on a piece of paper to each player to answer on their own, or list these statements one at a time and let people buzz in. Players must select whether or not those statements are true or false.
Fundraiser
Giveing thanks by giving back! A great way to show gratitude at your Thanksgiving party is to include a way for people to show their gratefulness by giving generously to those in need. Organizing a friendly contest to see how much you can raise for charity will harness the competitive and generous nature of your staff.
There are many ways to accomplish this, You could simply hue everyone solicit donations for the worthy cause of an agreed upon organization. However, if you want to add some festive flare, you can propose that everyone does something special to encourage donations. You could set a dollar amount or different donations levels and offer a perk or hilarious promise.
Examples:
- $1 Donation = Answer phone with “Gobble Gobble”
- $50 = Dress up as a pilgrim for a day
- $100 = Get to throw a pie in their face
Find the Prize in the Pie
One could make the argument that the highlight of any Thanksgiving feast is the pies. Therefore its only natural to incorporate pies into a Thanksgiving party game. Your participants are tasked with finding a prize inside of a delicious pumpkin pie, the twist, they can only use their mouth!
Onlookers will be delighted to their co-workers snort through a messy dessert like a hungry animal. The messier, the better.
The “prize” does not have to be in the pie. A token or other item can be hidden in the pie. The first person to find it then wins.
Guess the Weight
Guess the Weight of the Turkey No I’m not talking about guessing the weightof that goofy guy in the office, we are talking about a real bird. As the center- piece of any Thanksgiving meal, the weight of the festive fowl is always an intriguing topic.
Buy a frozen turkey and make your co-workers attempt to guess the weight of the bird. Closest guess wins the turkey. This can be done with a pumpkin as well.
Thanksgiving Potluck
The Thanksgiving meal is the centerpiece of the day. However, it is understandable that not everyone wants to fill up on the classic Thanksgiving meal at work then turn around and head to their family Thanksgiving dinner and eat the same thing.
Instead of the traditional faire, encourage everyone to bring in non-traditional thanksgiving foods. Breakfast burritos? Absolutely. Shrimp cocktail? Yes, please. Beef Stroganoff? Why not. This is an opportunity for every co-worker to share their favorite foods, traditions, and wherever they enjoy cooking.
A friendly vote can take place to pick crowd favorites. Best soup, best desert, best appetizer, etc. This will add a bit of competition to the event.
Conclusion
It is possible to celebrate Thanksgiving without eating. Fun games, and festive events that provide a twist on classic games will give your office Thanksgiving party the fun boost it need.
