Calling All Turkeys! Dancing Your Way Into Thanksgiving!
By Alison Moss
Gobble! Gobble! Thanksgiving time is near. Are you prepared to find the moves that groove you on the big day? Think about it…one word 
comes to mind when I think about Thanksgiving—TURKEY! And lots of it! But, all turkey and no movement can be a bad thing; so, I’m here to help you create your own movement playground at home on Thanksgiving Day.
I’m sure Mom, Dad, and maybe even Grandma are in the kitchen prepping for the special meal. There are lots of activities you can do in your own home to keep you busy and moving. My favorite part of the morning is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. I love to grab lots of pillows and blankets and hunker down on the couch to watch the balloons and parade floats go through the streets of New York, while an apple pie bakes in the oven. Sometimes, I dance with the singers on the parade floats. Often times, it’s a hit artist playing my favorite song. I’ve even been known to belt out the lyrics too, until someone reminds me that I am not a singer, nor should I ever quit my day job and try to be one. Another thought while watching the parade is making use of the commercial breaks. Those three to four minute breaks are perfect for working on stretches to improve flexibility. Why not stretch your hamstrings, practice a straddle stretch, or reach over to touch your toes and hold that position until the commercial break is finished? You could even use that commercial break for cardio. Run in place for those extra minutes and see how much better you feel.
If you happen to be assigned the job of “setting the table”, your movement playground might get more interesting. Consider that table as your racecourse. You could turkey wobble around the perimeter of the table, do the mashed potato dance, or pretend you are a hunter chasing a turkey around the table. If you happen to grab a few napkins, you can make relay races and let the napkins be your markers. Skip to the first one, run to the second one, hop on one foot to the third one, etc… If you also happen to snatch a few cans of cranberry sauce, you can lift them to pump up your muscles (at least until it’s time to open them for dinner).
There comes a point when Mom and Dad may want you to explore outside and play. Take advantage of “no homework” and ride your bike for a bit around your driveway with your parent’s permission of course. You could even keep the spirit of the day by picking up a jump rope and count your blessings with each jump. While you are outside, examine the leaves. Notice their shapes and try to copy those shapes with your body. Or, watch how the wind blows the leaves around, and let the wind blow your body around too. Maybe you might even find yourself kerplunk in a bunch of leaves…of course, then you may be given the job to rake those leaves back into the pile, but who cares? It’s fall, and the weather feels fantastic! Don’t let the turkeys get you down; get up and move, stretch and dance your way to the greatest Thanksgiving Day ever!
Posted in: Holiday Articles, Moves That Groove
