Who said you can't be grateful and silly at the same time? If dinner starts to slow down and kids get fidgety, pull out a few wigs to liven things up. You can swap wigs and even have the person wearing a specific wig tell a story about what they're thankful for.

Teach your kids that Thanksgiving is about more than celebrating a day in November with turkey and stuffing.  Many other countries have harvest festivals throughout the year celebrating their bounty. So why not forgo our standard fare and try traditions from another culture? Korea, for example, celebrates Chusok in August. Read up on various celebrations from around the world and even try some of their traditions.

With all the work that goes into the meal, you want to present it nicely, too. Put the kids in charge of setting the table and decorating the home. Help them pick out inexpensive, but festive decorations including gourds and even candy corn to sprinkle on the table. Then ask them to create a colorful menu or seating chart to involve them in the preparations so they feel that they're playing an important role as hosts.

When it comes to Thanksgiving, there plenty of stories to tell and even more perspectives on what the holiday signifies. Broaden your kids' views by reading a variety of books about the history of Thanksgiving as well as the central themes of sharing, coming to a new adventure, making friends and more.

When surrounded by family and friends, it's easy to forget that others are less fortunate. Teach your kids responsibility to their community by sharing the wealth. Volunteer at a soup kitchen while your turkey is baking. Or  have each child donate one toy each to a shelter. Before you donate the gifts, have the kid write a note about why this toy is special and they hope the new owner will enjoy it.   

Turn exercise into a tradition for your Thanksgiving. Join the kids in a Turkey trot challenge. See how far you can make it on a family jog. But don't forget the fun. Have each family member pick a mode of movement. Start with jogging for one block, skipping for another, hopping for another and so on. Mark how far or how long you exercised together, then set a goal to beat it next year.   

Need to get the kids out of the kitchen while you prep for the meal? Wish you could get everyone outside playing instead of inside glued to the tube? Organize a family, or neighborhood-wide Turkey Bowl football game. Lay out water, juice and a few treats on the sideline, then let the fun begin. You and your family will have stories to tell all through dinner about missed plays, silly spills and epic scores. And you'll have gotten some exercise to combat the big meal you're about to eat.

Want to create some fun Thanksgiving memories? Take a family photo  that encapsulates the day. Take snaps in front of where the blender spewed sweet potato on the wall, or with the dog eating the last bit of the pumpkin pie he stole. Then you can turn misadveutnres into a scrap book that helps you relive the memories of years past.

Food didn't just materialize for the Pilgrims on that first Thanksgiving. Give your kids a taste of scavenging fun. Create a list of objects they can find in the neigborhood and split the kids into teams. The team that collects all the items first (or follows the clues) gets a treat -- the first slice of pie, getting to pick a story or more.

If your kids like Valentines, the'll love Turkey-tines. Have the kids (or the whole family) write little notes to sneak under people's plates at the table. Turkeytines can be silly with jokes about the holiday, or can tell a family member or guest why they're so special or why your family is grateful to them.