9 Thanksgiving Team Building Activities

It's that time of year when the leaves are falling and there's a chill in the air. Soon we'll be in the go, go, go of the holiday season!

Before you get overwhelmed with the final quarter of the year, it's important to think about Thanksgiving team building activities that let your team members know how much they mean to you.

Here at Confetti, it's always our priority to create unique team building activities that encourage employee engagement and happy teams.

Gobble up our ideas on how to throw the perfect Thanksgiving, aka Friendsgiving, for your folks in the office, below:

What does Thanksgiving have to do with work? 🤔

When you think about celebrating Thanksgiving, you may think it's only a holiday featuring a table full of food surrounded by close family members and friends. Thoughts may turn to the past year and all the things that contribute to your health and happiness, but not the office.

Believe it or not, we spend the majority of our waking hours at work! So, when reflecting on the question, "What are you thankful for?", hopefully, your answer includes your amazing team members, too! 🥳

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Why should you celebrate Thanksgiving with your team? 🧐

Thanksgiving is a perfect opportunity to share gratitude, promote team bonding, and let your co-workers know how much they mean to you. It's important to make time to celebrate your employees and show your staff appreciation because:

Sharing appreciation for your teams often is a wonderful way to increase office morale, creating a healthy workplace for everyone!
Celebrating your employees' contributions to the office encourages your team to continue doing great work, boosting productivity and reducing employee turnover.

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9 ideas for the perfect Thanksgiving celebration 🦃

Struggling to come up with the best way to celebrate virtual Thanksgiving with your team members? We've got you covered! Here are our ideas for some fun Thanksgiving team building activities the whole team will love this holiday season:

‍1. Celebrate Native American Heritage Month 🤝

First thing first: we all know that Thanksgiving is rooted in problematic history. This year, make your celebration more inclusive by honoring Native American Heritage Month, which is celebrated all November.

Need some ideas? Here are some to get you started:

Host a book club and read the works of a Native American author.
Watch a movie that features Native American stories.
Take a virtual museum tour that features the works of Native American artists.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month is a great way to bring diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives to the forefront of your holiday traditions, making sure none of your employees feel excluded and all cultures are celebrated.

How to get started 👉 Celebrate with Exploring Native American Art, an interactive guided art class that explores famous artists and artifacts from Indigenous cultures!

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2. Encourage gratitude 🥰

What’s Friendsgiving without taking time to spread your appreciation for one another? Share your thanks by creating a community gratitude wall where your in-person co-workers can share what's bringing them joy and fulfillment, creating a beautiful display of gratitude in the process.

Working in a distributed team that needs to participate virtually? Anonymously let your co-workers know how much they mean to you and what qualities you admire most about them in an interactive presentation!

Now that distributed teams are the new norm, studies show that remote workers are even less likely to receive affirmations from their teammates, meaning active recognition is more important than ever.

How to get started 👉 Give thanks with Workplace Gratitude!

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3. Play Thanksgiving This or That ⚖️

This or That is an easy icebreaker-style activity that you can play in team meetings or through your team's favorite chat channel! No matter how you structure your round of This or That, this is an easy activity to encourage some connections and lighthearted interactions between colleagues.

Here are some this or that prompts to get you started:

White meat or dark meat?
Spend with friends or spend with family?
Mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes?
Mains or sides?
Dress up or wear sweats?
Turkey or Ham?
Pumpkin pie or Apple pie?
Watching football or watching the parade?
Homemade stuffing or store-bought?
Early Thanksgiving dinner or late-night feast?
Traveling for Thanksgiving or staying home?
Going Black Friday shopping or avoiding the crowds?

See what other This or That questions you can come up with, or open the floor to employees to come up with their own!

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4. Make a craft together ✂️

Arts and crafts aren't just for the kids at the Thanksgiving dinner table. Hosting a fall-themed arts and crafts class is a great way to unwind, get in the holiday spirit, and craft some beautiful decorations for the Thanksgiving table in the process!

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Paint pumpkins and other seasonal gourds for stunning table centerpieces.
String crepe paper together to make beautiful autumnal garlands.

Do you have co-workers with children? Include them as well for a Friendsgiving celebration that's fun for the whole family!

When was the last time you sat down to make a piece of art? Making something with your hands is the ultimate way to build rapport with your colleagues and encourage creativity!

Where to get started 👉 Make some Thanksgiving memories with a Fall Origami Class!

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5. Spice up the kitchen with a cooking class 🥘

Nothing connects people more than food! At Confetti, we love to get teams together for a virtual cooking experience.

Bring in an expert chef to walk your team through a new recipe together, learning some show-stopping cooking techniques in the process. Or, learn how to assemble a show-stopping charcuterie board that will leave your guests salivating! Who knows, you may walk away with a new favorite Thanksgiving dish!

Cooking together is a great way to push employees out of their comfort zones, connect from afar, and learn new skills in the process.

How to get started 👉 Serve up the Thanksgiving fun with a Charcuterie Board Making Class!

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6. Make some sweet treats 🍰

The celebration isn't complete without some dessert! Learn how to decorate Thanksgiving-themed cupcakes that are almost too good to eat. Create decorative caramel apples, or learn how to make yummy fruit butter and cozy jams (which make great holiday gifts). Or, learn how to make fruit-filled hand pies that will warm you up!

You can't celebrate Thanksgiving without dessert. Creating some holiday desserts with your team is certain to get your group in the festive spirit!

How to get started 👉 Sweeten up the party with a Caramel Apple Decorating Class!

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7. Cheers with a holiday spirit 🍷

Kick off your employee's hard-earned time off with a Friendsgiving happy hour!

Hire a mixologist to teach your office members some seasonal cocktails, try some seasonal fall beers, or get a knowledgeable sommelier to teach your team how to create the perfect wine pairings with their holiday menus.

A virtual happy hour is a perfect activity for employees to relax and socialize before they go away for the holiday weekend, adding even more fun employee engagement to your Friendsgiving party!

How to get started 👉 Cheers to Thanksgiving with a BYO Mulled Wine & Cider Making Class!

For participants 21+ only.

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8. Play festive team building games 🎲

Take a break in the workday to get together for some friendly competition and host fun Thanksgiving games. Some of our favorite party games for holiday parties are Trivia, Fall Charades, or Fall Taboo!

Pro tip: To increase connections amongst departments, be sure to mix your teams up so every team member gets the chance to work with someone new.

Games are the perfect way to shake off the typical workday stress, creating some laughs and boosting team spirit with your colleagues in the process.

How to get started 👉 If you want a lighthearted game of getting-to-know-you fun, enjoy a round of autumnal icebreakers at the Fall Water Cooler!

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9. Host a Virtual Thanksgiving Dinner (or lunch) 🍴

Before everyone departs for the long holiday weekend, put some time on the calendar for everyone to enjoy a meal together!

If your team is working in person, turn it into a potluck and encourage employees to bring their favorite dishes, like turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and more! This is a great way to spread the Thanksgiving spirit and learn about your colleagues' different traditions and celebrations.

If you're working with a remote team, send your employees a free lunch and hop on a shared video call to enjoy the lunch break together. Spice up the conversation with some holiday-themed icebreakers and have everyone swap recipes of what they plan on cooking in the weekend ahead!

How to get started 👉 Confetti's Lunch Party makes it easy to treat your team to a free meal delivery!

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3 more ingredients for the perfect Thanksgiving:

1. Tokens of appreciation 💌

Show your team how much they mean to you with a Thanksgiving gift.

Sticking to a budget? No worries! Gifts for employees don't have to be expensive. After all, it's the thought that counts!

Send your team hand-written thank you cards that let them know how much you appreciate all they bring to your company. The more specific and detail-rich, the better!

2. Holiday time off 🗓

Make sure your employees get the time off they deserve. A healthy work-life balance is the key to creating a healthy company culture.

Plus, there's no gift that can top quality time with friends and family.

3. Charitable acts ⚖️

It is the holiday about giving, after all. If your organization doesn't already engage in charitable giving programs, now is the perfect time to start!

Don’t know where to start? Take a poll to see what charities are important to your team members, whether they're personal passions or industry-related initiatives.

Announce a strategy to match employee donations to a worthy cause (an awesome Thanksgiving gift), or organize a group volunteer effort if your team works together in person.

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Plan the perfect Friendsgiving with Confetti! 🦃

As you can see, there's no shortage of fun Thanksgiving team building activities to make your employees feel appreciated and express gratitude this holiday season.

Ready to celebrate? Need some more ideas to celebrate Thanksgiving virtually? Check out our Friendsgiving collection👭

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Friendsgiving Frequently Asked Questions ❓

What if I'm hosting a Thanksgiving event for a remote team?

When it comes to hosting holiday parties for remote teams, we're the pros! No matter where your team is located, Confetti offers a variety of team building events that are friendly for everyone, whether your employees are completely virtual or working in a hybrid setting.

How do I know that my Friendsgiving was a success?

Here at Confetti, we love employee feedback! After your team building events, we recommend you ask your employees what they thought of your company celebration! That way, you can tailor your virtual parties to everyone's satisfaction.

You'll never know if you don't ask!

How hard is it to plan a Friendsgiving event?

Don't sweat! Even though it sounds like a challenge, Confetti can help you throw a fun event for your team in no time! All it takes is a few clicks to book the perfect Thanksgiving celebration for your team.

Ready to start planning your Friendsgiving celebration? Get in touch now before holiday availability books up fast!

What are some free activities to enjoy with my team?

Not all team building activities have to break the bank! Consider organizing free activities like gratitude-sharing sessions or recipe-sharing. You could also come up with your own round of charades or themed icebreakers! Not only are these activities budget-friendly, but they also offer opportunities for meaningful connections and more personal team bonding.

9 Thanksgiving Team Building Activities to Show Gratitude