I think Thanksgiving snuck up on me this year. I’m kind of in denial that it is this week! In fact, I keep thinking it is still October. The thing is, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love that it’s about family and food. Those are two of my favorite things!
However, with Thanksgiving comes Black Friday. I’ll be honest, one thing that I have never really been too fond of is Black Friday. I’m not a huge fan of getting up before the sun comes up (which in my opinion no one should be up and functioning that early) and pushing my way through seas of people just to save a few bucks. Sorry, that is just not my idea of fun. (For full disclosure, if it is yours, that’s awesome, and I admire you for it!)
Instead, Shadrach and I stay up until midnight and try to catch as many deals online and then we hit up cyber Monday! Online shopping for the win!
Anyway, since I’m not a fan of shopping on Black Friday, I like to find fun things we can do as a family instead! So, I thought I would share them with you and maybe help you get some ideas for something different or fun to do Friday. Here are five different ways you can spend your Friday after Thanksgiving…
#1 – Get Outside
Since we live in Ohio, this isn’t one we get to enjoy often around Thanksgiving because of the cold. However, if you live somewhere, that doesn’t usually see snow or freezing temperatures, head outside. Pack a picnic lunch with all that yummy leftover turkey and head out for a hike! It’s a great way to work off some of that big meal from the day before.
If you don’t have a place to go hiking, then head to your local playground and let your kiddos run off some energy.
Or, you could even just get outside in your yard and play a fun family game of football or soccer. We love to get out and run around as a family, no matter where it is.
If you live in or around Dayton, Ohio, here are some suggestions:
#2 – Visit a Museum
We are that family that loves an excellent museum, especially if they are kid friendly! Shadrach and I loved museums before we had Logan, and we have continued to share that love with him. Of course, we tend to stay away from the ones where things could get broken, or that won’t keep an active four-year-old’s attention.
Anyway, if you also love museums, Black Friday is a great day to visit one. I think it is a hit or miss on whether they are busy and a lot of times it all depends on what time of day you choose to go. Be sure to call or check the websites ahead of time to see if they are open and if they recommend a good time to go to miss the crowds.
If you live in, or around, Dayton, Ohio, here are few family-friendly suggestions:
- Boonshoft Children’s Museum
- The Airforce Museum – This one is free!!!
- Carillon Park
#3 – See Christmas Lights at Your Local Zoo
I’ll be honest and admit that we have not done this one yet. In the years past, we have been too chicken to venture out to the zoo when it is freezing outside. Plus, Logan was young, and we just didn’t have the proper clothes for it. However, this year, we have decided to buck up and attempt to visit one of our local zoos Christmas lights show. I’ve been told that they are amazing and worth the trip.
We may not make it on Black Friday, but I do know that all the zoo’s around us start their Christmas lights display before Thanksgiving. So, check out your local zoo because there is a good chance that they might too!
I also love the fact that you can go earlier in the day and visit the animals, then stay to see the lights. I would just caution to pace yourself because all day at the zoo can wear a person out and then there isn’t any energy left to walk around and see the lights.
When we go, we will probably arrive after lunch, mid-afternoon sometime. Walk around, stop for dinner, and then enjoy the lights as soon as it gets dark. Just a suggestion. Or you could just show up for only the Christmas light display. For our local zoos, you have to pay the zoo entrance fee to see the lights so we just figured we’d try to do a bit of both when we go.
# 4 – Head to the Movie Theater
Before becoming parents, Shadrach and I had a little tradition after our Thanksgiving meal of heading to the movie theater. It was the absolute perfect time to go because no one seems to go on that day and we would usually have the entire place to ourselves! (Score!)
This year we are planning to take Logan for his very first movie theater experience, on Thanksgiving Day (I’m just hoping he’s ready to sit through an entire film, I guess we will find out). However, this would be fun to do on Black Friday also!
#5 – Go Cut Down Your Christmas Tree and Start Decorating
I have gotten the Christmas itch super early this year, and I’m ready to head out this weekend and get our tree! Something we did last year for the first time was go cut our tree. It was a fun little adventure, even if it was cold outside (Can you sense a theme? Shadrach and I are not fans of the cold, but it’s growing on us. Four years in Ohio will do that to ya.)
*Umm, This is Shadrach “The cold is definitely not growing on me!”
So, a fun thing to do is look up a local tree farm that will let you walk out, pick your tree, and cut it down. Then you can spend the weekend decorating! Plus it will give you an excuse to drink some hot chocolate to warm up, and eat a few Christmas cookies! (Although, who needs an excuse for that right?)
Happy Thanksgiving!
Well, there are just a few ideas for spending some quality time together as a family on Black Friday. I will take family time instead of shopping on Black Friday any day! If you are like us and you try to avoid the craziness, hopefully, these five ideas will help you come up with something fun, and kid-friendly to do.
Do you have something that your family loves to do on the Friday after Thanksgiving, besides shopping? We are always looking for ideas, and I’d like to hear from you! So comment below or shoot me an email and let me know!
Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours! I hope that you all have a relaxing and enjoyable day with good food and family!
* By the way, if you do any online shopping on Amazon for Black Friday or Cyber Monday, we’d love it if you shopped through our Amazon link in an effort to help some families in need during the holidays. Just Click Here
Laura Ramnath
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