M   M   M   O   W   W   W

The turkeys do not plan their own moves but move only as other guests give them directions. There are only two rules:

(1) Men must always move in one direction, and women must always move in the opposite direction. No one can ever move backwards.

(2) Fill the vacant chair either by sliding a turkey from the chair next to it or  jumping one over one other turkey. No one can ever jump two turkeys.

(Note: This game is possible but tricky.

Turkey call.-Players stand up and form a large circle facing clockwise. 

They march around as the pianist plays "Turkey in the Straw." 

 At irregular intervals stop the music long enough to call out "six turkeys together"
 or "two turkeys together." 

Use any number from one to ten. For four or less, all hook arms and keep marching. Five or more form small circles and keep marching within the small circle.

Keep the music going with the brief breaks for giving directions.

Change numbers often and end with “eight turkeys together," to have the players in formation for the next game.
  

Thanksgiving mimicry.-Players stop marching but remain in circles of eight. Each circle is given a small ball, which players pass around while a pianist plays "To Grandmother's House We Go."  When the music stops, the player who has the ball gets in the middle of the circle. He is to make any kind of motion he chooses, such as jumping up and down, clapping his hands, making faces, or doing deep knee-bends.

Everyone in his circle is to mimic his action until the music starts again.

The player in the center gets back into the circle and sends the ball around again.

Play the game several times. Remain in circles for the next game.

Thanksgiving portraits.-Each circle sends one player to a designated place, where he is given a note pad and pencil. He is instructed to go back to his circle and on the starting signal draw an assigned portrait:

Plymouth Rock,

the Mayflower,

cranberry sauce,

a drumstick,

pumpkin, or

grandmother.

He is not to say or print any words as he draws. His group watches and if anyone can guess what he is drawing, they are to clap.

Repeat the game several times, allowing different players to draw the portraits.

Thanksgiving in four different ways. -Number off in each circle "one" to "eight." Call out the following instructions, one at a time:

Number 1: Sneeze four different ways.

Number 2. Cry four different ways.
Number 3: Laugh four different ways.

Number 4: Show four different facial expressions.
Number 5: Snore four different ways.

Number 6: Sing "You Are My Sunshine," omitting every fourth word.

Number 7: Say "I just love Thanksgiving time" four different ways.

Number 8: Accent a different word each time you say "Happy Thanksgiving to You."

Thanksgiving news. -Ask the teams to form relay lines. Place blunt scissors and identical newspapers at the goal of each. The players go to the goal and cut out the article as directed.

Player number 1, advertisement of food for Thanksgiving;

number 2, fashion news;

number 3, sports feature;

number 4, editorial;

number 5, comic strip;

number 6, want ad;

number 7, social event; and

number 8, main headline streamer, which says, Thanksgiving Refreshments Are Ready for You Now! (Fold the paper so that the editorial page is on top and this headline is not too obvious at the beginning of the game.) The winning team leads the way to the food.

Refreshments

Serve blond brownies, peanut butter sticks, "nuts and bolts," and punch.

Closing

For a fellowship, or if enough of the crowd is together at an open house, plan a short serious ending.

Recipes for Open House "Goodies"

Blond Brownies

                    1½ cups Flour                                           1  tsp. vanilla

                    1/2 tsp. salt                                                1 cup chopped nuts

                    3 eggs                                                       1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces

                    2 1/2 cups brown sugar                           

Beat the eggs well. Add brown sugar gradually until well mixed. Add vanilla. Sift together the flour and salt and add to other mixture. Stir in the nuts. Pour batter into a well-greased 9 by 13 inch pan. Sprinkle the chocolate bits over the batter. Bake in a moderate oven (350°) for forty minutes. Cut in squares. (Yield: about four dozen)

Peanut Butter Sticks

          1 sandwich loaf day-old bread
          1 cup smooth peanut butter

          1 cup salad oil

Cut the crusts from each slice of bread. Toast these and both ends of bread until crunchy. With a rolling pin roll the toasted bread into fine crumbs.

Cut each slice of bread into four "finger" sticks. Toast these until completely hard and crunchy all the way through. Mix the peanut butter and salad oil together, making it into
a thin peanut dip. Dip each stick of bread into the peanut mixture. Now roll it in the bread crumbs. Place the sticks on a tray to dry. Store in an airtight container.

Nuts and Bolts

            2 cups Rice Chex                                        1 stick buttter
            2 cups Com Chex                                        1/2 tsp. salt                                             
            2 cups Wheat Chex                                     1/8 tsp. garlic salt

            2 cups Veri-Thin pretzel sticks                     4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

        1 cups salted mixed nuts

Set an electric skillet at 250°. Melt the butter. Add the seasoning. Add cereal, pretzel sticks, and nuts. Mix until all pieces are coated. Place a lid on the skillet. Cook for one hour, stirring every fifteen minutes. Spread the mixture on absorbent paper to cool.

Punch

According to the number expected, mix in the following proportions:

1 large can pineapple juice

1 large can Hi-C orangeade
1 quart ginger ale