Games to play after the Thanksgiving meal

There's a moment after the main meal when everyone is full, the dishes aren't done, and nobody wants to move. It's also when dinner-table debates like to make a comeback. A simple game fills that gap and gives everyone, from the eight-year-old to the eighty-year-old, something better to argue about, like whether that drawing was really a giraffe.

The best post-dinner games share a few qualities: they take less than a minute to explain, they work with any number of players, and they don't require anyone to stand up if they don't want to.

No-prep games you can play at the table

These need nothing more than the people already sitting there.

Two truths and a lie

Each person says three statements about themselves, two true and one false, and everyone guesses the lie. It works brilliantly with relatives because you will learn things. Grandma's past is often wilder than you'd think.

The alphabet gratitude game

Go around the table naming something you're thankful for, in alphabetical order. A is for apple pie, B is for Brian finally fixing the porch light. It gets very funny around Q and X, which is part of the charm.

Would you rather

Ask silly dilemmas and let the table vote. "Would you rather only eat stuffing for a week or never eat stuffing again?" The debates are passionate and completely harmless. Our card deck has a whole would-you-rather category if you need a supply.

Twenty questions

One person thinks of an object, person or animal, and everyone else gets twenty yes-or-no questions to work it out. Kids love being the one with the secret.

Games with a little prep

A few supplies make these possible. Most families already have what they need.

Charades or Pictionary

Write easy prompts on slips of paper before dinner: movies, animals, Thanksgiving foods, things that happen at family gatherings ("someone falls asleep on the couch" is a crowd favorite). Split into teams that mix ages. For Pictionary, a pad of paper and a marker are all you need.

Thankful jar

Before the meal, ask everyone to write something they're thankful for, or a favorite memory, on a slip of paper and fold it into a jar. After dinner, take turns pulling one out and guessing who wrote it. It's a game and a sweet moment at the same time.

Pie-tasting judges

If you have more than one dessert, appoint a panel of judges and give them score cards. Categories might include crust, filling and "would eat again tomorrow at 7 a.m." The judging always takes longer than it should, which is the point.

Card and board games

Classic family card games and easy party board games are worth bringing out. Pick something with short turns so people can drift in and out. Avoid anything known in your family as "the game that ended Christmas 2019."

Games for people who need to move

If the energy is high or the kids are bouncing off the walls, take it outside.

Backyard football or soccer

A long-standing Thanksgiving tradition in many families. Keep it touch-only, match up teams by ability rather than generation, and make the most competitive uncle the referee so he can't play.

Turkey trot walk

Not every game needs rules. A group walk around the block after dinner helps digestion, gets people out of a stuffy room, and gives everyone a chance to talk in smaller, calmer groups.

Scavenger hunt for kids

Hide small items around the yard or house (a pinecone, a spoon, a toy turkey) and give the kids a list. It keeps them busy while the adults handle dishes, and they come back proud.

Tips for making games work

A few small things decide whether a game takes off or fizzles:

• Start it yourself. "Okay, everyone, two truths and a lie, I'll go first" works much better than "Does anyone want to play something?"
• Keep rounds short. Five minutes of fun beats thirty minutes of rule explaining.
• Mix the teams. Pairing teenagers with grandparents creates some of the best moments of the day.
• Let people opt out gracefully. Someone who wants to nap on the couch is not a problem to be solved.
• Make it light. Keep scores loose and prizes silly. A paper crown for the winner is plenty.

The secret benefit

Games give a family a shared focus, a few jokes everyone will repeat for years, and a reason to laugh together after a long day of cooking and traveling. A group that's busy guessing whether Grandpa really did once meet a famous musician is not a group that's arguing.

And if someone tries to turn the game into a debate anyway, you know where the Save me button is.

Seconds, anyone? A few questions

What's a good game for a big group with toddlers and grandparents?

Charades or Pictionary with teams that mix ages. Little kids can act or draw with a helper, and nobody needs to read small print or remember complicated rules.

How do I get reluctant relatives to play?

Start the game without asking for a show of hands, keep the first round very short, and give the skeptics a job such as scorekeeper or judge. Most people join in by round two.