A Unique (and Silly) Thanksgiving Weekend Tradition

Every family celebrates Thanksgiving in their own unique way. For example, we have decided we prefer a make-your-own-taco bar to turkey and stuffing. Others like to melt marshmallows on their sweet potatoes (yes, I think this is weird, sorrynotsorry).

Most families have something they do that they insist must be done every year or, "It just doesn't feel like Thanksgiving." Perhaps it is a game of Thanksgiving charades, or a few rounds of a favorite family game, or kid-made place cards. The activity doesn't have to be silly, but consider that laughter is a great way to bond as a family. And doesn't a little silliness make everything more fun?

Let me introduce you to our silly and oh-so-fun Thanksgiving weekend tradition that makes us laugh uncontrollably: GOURD BALL

Pile of gourds on grass with text overlay, silly Thanksgiving tradition: Gourd Ball.

We play gourd ball every year on the day after Thanksgiving. It provides some much needed entertainment, gets us outdoors, and always results in hilarious descriptions of mangled gourds from my younger son who is quite the wordsmith.

If you care to add this to your Thanksgiving weekend repertoire, along with our other 15 favorite Black Friday activities, peruse the details below...

Here's what you'll need:

1. As many gourds, pumpkins or other hard-shelled squash-like vegetables you won't be eating

In anticipation of our annual Thanksgiving weekend gourd ball game, I plant gourds every summer. Thus, every year the selection is different. It's also an excellent way to use all those mini pumpkins you used for decorations. You could even save the minis you used for pumpkin prints and repurpose them in this silly gourd ball game.

2. A baseball bat

3. Family members with a good sense of humor

4. Wide-open space

Here are the rules:

None.

Here is the objective:

Smash all the gourds into smithereens.

Here's how you do that:

One person pitches the gourds and another person with a bat tries to hit them, baseball-style. Since one bash with the bat may not be sufficient, you may need to pitch the gourd, even if it is only partially in tact, multiple times.

Split pumpkin with child holding a baseball bat in background.

Clean-up:

Accomplished by squirrels and chipmunks.

Variations:

Any variations your kids can come up with are one hundred per cent allowed. As long as they make everyone laugh.

MORE: Thanksgiving Activities to Keep Everyone Off Screens