Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude, family, and, of course, food. But let’s be honest—sometimes family gatherings come with their share of awkward moments, tense conversations, and the inevitable question about your relationship status. That’s where Thanksgiving drinking games come in! Whether you need to diffuse some family drama, add a little humor to the day, these drinking games are here to enjoy the day in a fun way.
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Top 8 Thanksgiving Drinking Games Without Preparation
Looking for some easy, no-prep fun this Thanksgiving? These top 8 Thanksgiving drinking games are perfect for getting the party started quickly. Whether you’re with family or friends, these simple games will keep everyone entertained and laughing throughout the holiday!
1. Sip Every Time Someone Mentions the Turkey
This is a Thanksgiving classic with a twist. Every time someone brings up the turkey—whether it’s raw, in the oven, or finally on the table—everyone takes a sip.
Bonus points if you can make a bet on who will mention it first (Grandma is always a strong contender). Up the ante by adding extra rules: chug if someone complains about it being dry, or if anyone says, “I think the turkey is overcooked,” take two drinks. Watch how fast the turkey becomes the centerpiece of conversation!
2. Macy’s Parade Drinking Game
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has been a cherished tradition for nearly a century (marking its 98th event in 2024!). But why just watch when you can turn this iconic celebration into a hilarious drinking game that adds a little extra buzz to your morning?
Game Rules:
- Take a sip every time a character balloon (Snoopy, Pikachu, etc.) floats by.
- Drink two sips if the announcers mention a balloon’s history or how many helium tanks it took to inflate it.
- Chug your drink if a balloon bumps into a building, a tree, or starts deflating.
- Take a shot if there’s an obvious lip-sync fail during a musical performance.
- Bonus: Create teams! Assign one person a specific balloon or float—whenever theirs appears, everyone else drinks while they cheer it on.
Feeling extra competitive? Assign specific balloons or floats to people, and whenever theirs appears, they have to drink while the others cheer them on!
3. Family Gossip Sips
In every family, gossip flies faster than the cranberry sauce, and now it’s your chance to cash in on it.
Game Rules:
- Take a sip every time gossip is mentioned about a family member not at the table (e.g., “Did you hear what happened to Cousin Lucy?”)
- If the gossip includes a scandal (new significant other, a new job, or a surprise move), take two sips.
- Chug your drink if someone says, “I shouldn’t be telling you this, but…”
- If a family member tries to change the topic or cover up a gossip story, they have to take a penalty shot.
Families love to gossip, and this game turns that into a fun drinking opportunity. Keep the mood light—this is meant to be fun, not fuel for family drama!
4. Football Drinking Game
Football is practically the background noise of Thanksgiving, but why not make it more fun? You can make up rules for every part of the football game.
Game Rules:
- Take a sip for every first down.
- Drink two sips when a touchdown is scored.
- If a commentator says “Thanksgiving tradition,” take three sips.
- Chug if your team fumbles the ball or if the camera zooms in on fans eating Thanksgiving food in the stands.
- Bonus: Assign players or teams to everyone at the table. Every time your team scores or your player makes a play, you take a drink, and everyone else takes two.
This is the perfect game for those glued to the TV on Thanksgiving. Whether you’re a football fan or not, you can turn the game into a lively drinking competition with simple rules based on what happens during the match.
5. Pilgrim Hat Drinking Game
This game is pure visual silliness and is best played while watching TV. Tape a paper pilgrim hat to the top corner of your TV screen and wait for the magic to happen.
Game Rules:
- Every time the hat “lands” on someone’s head during the parade, football game, or any Thanksgiving TV special, everyone takes a drink.
- Take two sips if the hat lands on a celebrity or athlete.
- If the hat lands on someone’s head for a long time (more than five seconds), the last person to notice has to finish their drink.
- Bonus: Every time the hat lands on someone in a Thanksgiving commercial (like a family dinner scene), everyone takes a shot!
You’ll be surprised how often it happens and how ridiculous it looks!
6. Thanksgiving Movie Drinking Game
Turn Thanksgiving movies into a full-blown drinking event. Turn classic films like Planes, Trains & Automobiles and A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving into a fun drinking game!
Planes, Trains & Automobiles:
- Take a Sip: Every time Steve Martin’s character, Neal, gets visibly frustrated.
- Take Two Sips: Whenever John Candy’s character, Del, cracks a joke or makes things awkward.
- Chug: If there’s a major travel disaster (missed flight, broken-down car, etc.).
- Finish Your Drink: When the final heartwarming scene hits (you’ll know the one).
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving:
- Take a Sip: Every time Snoopy does something heroic or takes charge.
- Take Two Sips: Whenever Linus shares a wise or philosophical thought.
- Chug: When Woodstock and Snoopy serve the iconic Thanksgiving meal of popcorn, toast, and jelly beans.
- Finish Your Drink: At the final scene when the gang heads to Grandma’s house.
7. Gravy Shot Roulette
This game is not for the faint of heart! Line up shot glasses and fill some with gravy, some with water, and others with vodka (or your favorite liquor). Then take turns choosing a random shot glass.
Game Rules:
- Players take turns picking a random shot glass and drinking it. If it’s gravy, they’ve “won” Thanksgiving!
- If someone picks a liquor shot, they take a drink, and the rest of the group cheers them on.
- Bonus: The person who gets the gravy shot gets to make the next round of shots for everyone.
Blind guessing turns this into a hilarious and suspenseful Thanksgiving game that will keep everyone on their toes (and maybe a little grossed out).
8. Name That Dish
This game puts a fun twist on the Thanksgiving meal. Blindfold one player, give them a random spoonful of a Thanksgiving dish, and see if they can guess what it is just by taste.
Game Rules:
- If they guess correctly, everyone else drinks.
- If they guess wrong, they drink.
- Bonus: Include “mystery dishes” like Aunt Susie’s questionable Jell-O salad for added difficulty (and laughs).
You’ll get some funny reactions, and it’s a great way to test everyone’s Thanksgiving food knowledge.
Thanksgiving Family Card Game: Turkey Trot
“Turkey Trot” is a fun, family-friendly card game that combines memory, strategy, and a bit of luck like the Pyramid Card Game. The goal is to collect sets of Thanksgiving-themed cards (e.g., dishes, activities, and characters) to complete your perfect Thanksgiving meal. It’s simple enough for kids, but still competitive enough for adults to enjoy!
Set Up:
- Create the Deck:
Use a standard deck of cards, or make your own custom Thanksgiving-themed cards divided into four categories:- Main Course Cards: Turkey, Ham, Tofurkey, Roast Chicken, etc.
- Side Dish Cards: Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Cranberry Sauce, etc.
- Dessert Cards: Pumpkin Pie, Apple Pie, Pecan Pie, Ice Cream, etc.
- Activity Cards: Watching Football, Taking a Nap, Telling Stories, Playing Games, etc.
- Each category should have multiple card options to make the game interesting.
- Deal the Cards:
Shuffle the deck and deal 5 cards to each player. Place the remaining cards face-down in the center to form the draw pile. Leave space next to it for the discard pile.
Gameplay:
- Starting the Game:
The youngest player goes first, and play moves clockwise. - On Your Turn:
Each player aims to complete their “Thanksgiving Feast” by collecting one card from each category (Main Course, Side Dish, Dessert, Activity). To do this, players follow these steps on their turn:- Draw a Card: Take one card from either the draw pile or the top of the discard pile.
- Discard a Card: If you already have too many cards from one category (e.g., two Main Course cards), discard one from your hand and place it face-up on the discard pile.
- Stealing a Card (Optional):
If you have three matching cards from one category (for example, three different Side Dishes), you can “steal” a card from another player’s hand on your turn! You can only steal a card from the category you need (e.g., you can’t steal a Dessert card if you already have one).- You must randomly choose a card from their hand.
- If you steal a card you don’t need, return it to the discard pile.
- Completing a Feast:
Once you have one card from each category (Main Course, Side Dish, Dessert, and Activity), shout “Feast!” and place your cards face-up in front of you.
Special Cards (Optional for Extra Fun):
Add some wild or action cards to make the game more exciting:
- “Turkey Burned” Card: This forces the player to discard their Main Course and draw a new one from the pile.
- “Family Drama” Card: The player who draws this card must swap hands with another player of their choice.
- “Double Dessert” Card: Whoever plays this card gets to pick two Dessert cards and keep both in their hand.
To make the game even more competitive, include bonus points for specific combinations like “Best Feast” (e.g., Turkey + Stuffing + Pumpkin Pie + Watching Football) for extra bragging rights.
Thanksgiving Family Dice Game: Turkey Roll Showdown
Turkey Roll Showdown” is a simple, fast-paced dice game, similar to 711 Craps, that’s perfect for Thanksgiving family fun. Players roll dice to collect Thanksgiving-themed items and race to be the first to complete their “Turkey Feast.” Easy enough for kids but engaging for adults, this game blends luck and strategy, making it ideal for family entertainment!
Game Setup:
- Dice Needed: You’ll need 5 standard dice for this game.
- Feast Cards or Checklist:
Each player gets a Feast Card or a checklist that outlines what they need to collect:- 1 Main Course (Turkey, Ham, or Tofurkey)
- 2 Side Dishes (Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, etc.)
- 1 Dessert (Pumpkin Pie, Apple Pie, etc.)
- You can either print out themed cards or use a basic checklist. Players will mark off items as they collect them.
- Score Tracker:
Have a notepad handy to keep track of each player’s score during each round.
Gameplay:
- Starting the Game:
The youngest player goes first, and play moves clockwise around the table. - Rolling the Dice:
On each turn, a player rolls all five dice to try and collect the ingredients they need for their feast. The dice correspond to different parts of the meal, based on the numbers rolled.- 1 = Turkey (Main Course)
- 2 = Ham (Main Course)
- 3 = Stuffing (Side Dish)
- 4 = Mashed Potatoes (Side Dish)
- 5 = Pumpkin Pie (Dessert)
- 6 = Wild (You can use this as any item you need)
- Dice Rolling Strategy:
- After the initial roll, players can choose to keep some dice and roll the remaining ones again, trying to get the numbers they need. Players can roll up to three times per turn.
- For example, if you roll a 1 (Turkey) and a 3 (Stuffing) on the first roll, you can keep those dice and re-roll the others to try to get a dessert.
- After three rolls, you must take whatever results you have and update your feast.
- Collecting Feast Items:
- Each time you roll the correct number for an ingredient (1, 2, 3, 4, or 5), mark it off on your Feast Card.
- If you roll a 6, you can use it as a wild card to represent any ingredient you’re missing.
- Bonus Rolls:
- If you roll three of the same number (for example, three 3s for Stuffing), you get a bonus roll where you can roll two additional dice in hopes of collecting more items or another wild.
Special Rule: Turkey Steal!
To add an extra layer of fun, introduce the “Turkey Steal” rule:
- If you roll three 1s (Turkey) on a single turn, you can “steal” an ingredient from another player’s Feast Card. They must erase the item from their card, and you can add it to yours. This can be used to sabotage someone who’s close to winning!
- Players can only use the “Turkey Steal” once per game.
Winning the Game:
The first player to collect a full Thanksgiving feast (1 Main Course, 2 Side Dishes, and 1 Dessert) wins! To win, you must roll the exact numbers to match the items needed on your Feast Card. For example, you need to have one of the Main Courses (1 or 2), two Side Dishes (3 or 4), and one Dessert (5).
Enjoying Best 10 Thanksgiving Drinking Games
This Thanksgiving, why not shake things up and add a little fun to the mix with these drinking games? Whether you’re sharing laughs during family gossip, watching the Macy’s parade, or diving into classic Thanksgiving movies, these games will help lighten the mood, break the ice, and bring everyone together. Just remember to play responsibly, enjoy the company of loved ones, and most importantly, have fun! So raise a glass, savor the moments, and let the laughter flow—cheers to an unforgettable Thanksgiving!