5 Thanksgiving Traditions You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

Traditions

5 Thanksgiving Traditions You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

Most people know the big ones: turkey, football, and the Macy’s parade. However, some towns and families preserve rare Thanksgiving customs. Here are 5 Thanksgiving traditions you've probably never heard of that are still practiced across the U.S

1. Turkey Bowling (Indiana)

In some parts of Indiana, frozen turkeys replace bowling balls in parking lot tournaments. Participants roll the frozen birds at pins (usually soda bottles or real pins). It started as a supermarket promotion in the 1980s. Now it’s a quirky, family-friendly event held by local groups and small businesses.

Why it matters: It’s a playful twist that brings communities together with zero cost.

2. Wishbone Auctions (Texas)

Instead of breaking the turkey wishbone, some communities in small-town Texas hold fundraising "wishbone auctions." The intact bone is auctioned off to raise money for local causes, with the winner getting a symbolic wish.

Why it matters: It mixes tradition with fundraising and local pride.

3. Turkey Trot Races (Nationwide)

The oldest known Turkey Trot started in Buffalo, New York in 1896. Today, thousands of people across the country run 5Ks or 10Ks on Thanksgiving morning.

Some dress in costume. Others run for charity. The Dallas Turkey Trot is one of the largest, drawing over 25,000 runners.

Why it matters: These races combine fitness, charity, gratitude, fun, and tradition. And they make room for the big meal later.

4. The Blessing of the Hounds (North Carolina)

In Southern towns like Aiken, South Carolina, and Southern Pines, North Carolina, churches hold a "Blessing of the Hounds" ceremony before a traditional fox hunt on Thanksgiving Day.

The priest blesses the hounds, horses, and riders. Though few actual hunts happen today, the ceremony remains an honored ritual in horse country.

Why it matters: It blends faith, tradition, and rural culture in a uniquely American way.

5. Cranberry Sauce Sculpting (New England)

In parts of rural Massachusetts and Maine, families have informal contests in which they sculpt shapes out of canned cranberry sauce. It’s a playful spin on the wobbly, often-mocked side dish. Some turn it into turkeys, leaves, or historical scenes.

Why it matters: It adds humor and creativity to an otherwise overlooked part of the meal.

I love traditions, and I have many of them. One of my Thanksgiving Day traditions is hosting an online, annual Turkey Trot. What traditions do you have? Do traditions matter to you? Do you like or dislike traditions? Why?