# What is the best Thanksgiving tradition?

> Some of these customs are a century old and televised; others happen at a kitchen table or on a 5K course before breakfast.

*By YPB Team · Published November 9, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-is-the-best-thanksgiving-tradition*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner** — score 1000/1000
   The family feast of roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and cranberry sauce that the whole holiday is built around.
2. **Friendsgiving** — score 750/1000
   A Thanksgiving-style potluck held with friends rather than family, a name first recorded in 2007 that caught on in the early 2010s.
3. **Black Friday Shopping** — score 692/1000
   The day-after-Thanksgiving sales that traditionally open the American holiday shopping season.
4. **Turkey Trot** — score 600/1000
   A charity footrace run on Thanksgiving morning; the Buffalo Turkey Trot has been held every year since 1896.
5. **Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade** — score 600/1000
   The New York City parade of giant character balloons and floats, held on Thanksgiving morning since 1924.
6. **Presidential Turkey Pardon** — score 400/1000
   The White House ceremony in which the president spares the National Thanksgiving Turkey, a presentation held since 1947 with a formal pardon since 1989.
7. **NFL Thanksgiving Football** — score 400/1000
   The annual slate of Thanksgiving Day NFL games, with the Detroit Lions hosting since 1934 and the Dallas Cowboys since 1966.
8. **Leftover Turkey Sandwich** — score 0/1000
   The day-after sandwich of leftover turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce on bread.

Tags: usa, holidays, traditions, thanksgiving