Hollywood-Inspired Programming Ideas for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is about so much more than feasting upon turkey, pumpkin pie and all the fixings. It’s a time to gather together to spend some quality time with each other and make memories while being thankful for all that you have. It’s also a great reason to show your favorite holiday-themed movies, paired with fun ideas that can add some extra excitement to the main culinary event. Consider showing these Thanksgiving favorites leading up to the main event to get everyone in the holiday mood.
“Planes, Trains and Automobiles”
The Thanksgiving Tie-in: Control-obsessed Neil is trying desperately to get home to Chicago to spend Thanksgiving with his wife and kids while saddled with an annoying traveling salesman named Del who’s also trying to get to the windy city. Cancelled flights, cheap hotel rooms, broken down trains, long bus rides and a rental car fire continue to delay the harried pair on the way home.
Inspired Programming Idea: Provide some tips on how to have a more stress-free travel experience this holiday season. Include helpful tips for what to do if your flight is delayed or cancelled, security tips, the best websites to check out for hotel and airline deals, and tactics for scoring perks, refunds and more.
“You’ve Got Mail”
The Thanksgiving Tie-in: Kathleen and Joe are rivals in the book business but are unknowingly falling in love online. This classic movie’s iconic Thanksgiving grocery store scene involves Joe coming to the rescue when a credit card-wielding Kathleen mistakenly rings up her items in a cash-only line.
Inspired Programming Idea: Use Joe’s action of helping someone when in need to inspire your own donation event. Partner with national or local organizations to donate blood, shop needed items through Amazon wish lists or raise funds to benefit the recent victims of hurricanes in the Caribbean or wildfires on the West Coast.
“The Blind Side”
The Thanksgiving Tie-in: Watching homeless 17-year-old Michael Oher have Thanksgiving dinner for the first time in his life with the Tuohy’s helps him realize how welcome he really is in their family, while giving the audience another reason to count their blessings.
Inspired Programming Idea: Use the Tuohy’s Thanksgiving feast to create your own community potluck event. Have everyone bring their favorite Thanksgiving dish while you provide the tasty main course – the turkey. Pair this event with a canned food drive for an extra dose of seasonal goodwill.
