The following are things I’ve felt have really enhanced my chosen role. Granted I am a bit of a type A, and doing many of these things could be deemed unnecessary , and doing all of them like I do is probably ridiculous. But pick one that really does cut a corner for you, and then maybe you’ll also think to try one that’ s new. I worry that some may be too obvious. I only know that no one told me, so there’s gotta be someone out there who doesn’t know. Of course there were no scientific trials, and I was only deciding their safety by my standards. Try at your own risk!
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November 15, 2009
A Tip for Turkey Day
This holiday is not celebrated all over the world, or if it is, it may not be on the same day. This idea is really for anytime a group that is important to one another sit down to break bread. We all have that experience in common.
I love Thanksgiving. Depending on schedules we either celebrate with family at a relative’s house, or we host the meal. Regardless, either table usually includes friends who had a change of plans and couldn’t join their own family. Some years the table was filled with “orphans”- that’s what we called ourselves for the day- because we couldn’t get home to family for one reason or another. A table game was born. Really it was just a way to get to know each other, for those being introduced for the first time. Now it has become part of the feast and tradition, and is even meaningful and fun when you all know each other completely. Grandparents and children laugh or listen just the same, and it makes the memories you talk about the whole year.
I write down a bunch of questions or tasks, fold each one, and put them in a little basket. The more of them, the better. Throughout the meal, we pass the basket around, and take turns picking out a piece of paper. The rule is you have to answer or do the task you draw, unless it is inappropriate- eg. A child doesn’t understand, etc.-then you can draw again. If there are a lot of kids, we’ve even made a ‘kids only’ basket. Round and round it goes, and it always is the highlight of the meal- even if your turkey turned out perfectly! Personalize your papers to your guests, of course, but here are some suggestions:- For what are you most Thankful? I always put multiples of this one in.
- What was your most embarrassing moment? Tell the story.
- Tell a joke.
- Where & When did you meet your true love? Tell us about it.
- Devise a secret handshake with the person to your left. Show us when you’re ready.
- Who would you like us to think about today? Tell us about them.
- Stand up, and while we all sing, do your best chicken dance. Get ready to laugh!
- Look at the person on your right. Tell us 3 of your favorite things about them that you either already know or have just observed.
- If you had $1,000,000 and only 24 hours in which you had to spend it, what would you buy? This one usually leads to a whole table discussion…..
- You wake up one morning and you are at your favorite place- real or imagined. Where are you? What are you doing? What do you see?
- Who do you miss most today?
- What would be your dream job? Why?
- If you could change one thing, what would it be? Another discussion starter.
- Tell us about something that made you smile recently.
- What is your favorite book?
You get the idea. Have fun with it. Even the shyest join in. I save my questions year to year and just add new ones. I’ve even gotten a call in July with a suggestion of one to add. This game is a hit, and special.
