Whether you are married or dating, these seven ideas will help you celebrate your first Thanksgiving together as a couple. This major relationship milestone is fun but also tricky to plan. Some of the compromises include: how to schedule each person’s extended family dinner, how to find time as a couple, what activities to plan, and what kind of food to cook. But Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks and expressing gratitude. The most important part of this holiday is to express gratitude for your partner by spending time together. When you spend quality time together during the holidays, you make special memories and grow as a couple. This Thanksgiving, start some new couple’s traditions with these seven creative ideas!  

7 Ways to Celebrate Your First Thanksgiving as a Couple  

Make a smaller meal for two, combining your all-time favorite Thanksgiving foods.

Host your own private Thanksgiving dinner for two at home! Compromise on the meal by cooking each of your top three favorite foods and creating your own family meal. This could literally just be side dishes (they’re the best part of the meal anyway!) or a crazy combination of favorite family recipes. Even if you are having Thanksgiving dinner with relatives, it can be fun and romantic to have your own meal together.   

Start a new couple’s tradition.

There’s no reason your Thanksgiving weekend has to be booked solid with extended family gatherings. Try to draw some friendly boundaries and spend time together, just the two of you. Start a new Thanksgiving tradition like taking a long hike, walking the dogs, getting brunch at your favorite restaurant, or visiting a winery and playing board games. When you create your own traditions, you become closer as a couple and establish a unique routine for your little family unit.  

Travel to make memories.

Make this Thanksgiving unforgettable by taking a short road trip or travelling out-of-state for the long weekend. Spend the weekend hiking, skiing, or curling up by the fire in a cozy cabin. Visit a spa hotel for room service and couple’s massages. Mini vacations are perfect getaways to make memories. Capture photos along the way and frame them to remember your Thanksgiving adventures.  

Host a Friendsgiving party.

As a holiday that’s all about giving back and expressing gratitude, it’s a perfect time to host a meal for good friends! Friends are often like family, and they provide so much love and support. Friendsgiving can also sometimes be more relaxing and casual compared to a formal family get-together. Invite single friends and couples over for dinner, games, and lots of wine!  

Count your blessings as a couple.

At Thanksgiving, we remember all the things we are grateful for. For this Thanksgiving activity, write down why you are grateful for your partner. Remember all the big things, but the small things too. At dinner, exchange notes and read them out loud. These thankful messages will make each of you feel even more loved and blessed on the holiday.  

Treat yourselves to Black Friday shopping.

 Black Friday offers some of the best deals and sales all year. Look for holiday gifts on sale that you can exchange during the holidays. Online stores have plenty of sales, so you don’t need to leave your house! As you shop, look for meaningful couple’s gifts you can enjoy together. A personalized gift like the Book of Us captures your love story on every page and is uniquely customized for the two of you. You can edit every page with special love messages and display it as a coffee table book in your home.  

Black Friday is also a perfect time to look for items you can purchase for your life together. Consider purchasing a new gaming system, a new television, updated bedding, kitchen appliances, or cooking equipment.   

Volunteer or donate your time.

On Thanksgiving weekend, give back by volunteering at a soup kitchen or collect items to donate at a food shelf. Often people donate around the holidays but then stop giving. Food shelves are then left empty when the holiday is over. Collect donation items to give once Thanksgiving is over, to keep their shelves well stocked. You can also create a volunteer sign-up sheet and invite friends or family to sign up for volunteer times once Thanksgiving is over.