Thanksgiving is right around the corner and it is the perfect time to bring your community together. There are so many activities that the board or social committee can organize to increase the sense of community and unity in your association, and that residents should really enjoy. Below are our top 5 ideas for how you can celebrate Thanksgiving in your HOA: 

Charitable drive

Thanksgiving in your HOA is the time to give thanks and help those in need.  Volunteering and community service are great ways to nurture togetherness and interaction for a good cause. You can use a variety of communication tools such as emails, text messages, and your newsletter, to ask residents to participate in the drive. It will only be successful if you organize your HOA members to be part of it. Homeowners can donate clothes, non-perishable foods, and toys that you could donate to a non-profit organization. Be sure to create a sign-up sheet after contacting the organization, to coordinate how many people will volunteer and donate. 

Potluck party 

One of many people’s favorite aspects of Thanksgiving is the food, and a potluck is a great way to help residents get to know each other. Ask homeowners to each bring a Thanksgiving dish to share with the community. Then, have them all meet in the community’s clubhouse, or any common area available, to share a delicious meal. 

This is an amazing way to connect as a community, share a meal, and get to know your neighbors.

Outdoor games

If you have a lot of children in your HOA, the board or social committee could organize outdoor games that kids will definitely enjoy. Playing games and having activities is great for children to burn some energy and socialize, and helps parents out as well. Some ideas include: 

• Scavenger hunt: You could hide Thanksgiving-related items such as a pinecone, football, scarecrow, red apple, etc., and whoever is able to find the most items, could be awarded with a small prize. 
• Potato sack race: Gather enough potato sacks for the estimated number of players participating. If your community doesn’t have potato sacks, laundry bags will suffice. Set up a finishing line and have a referee to track who arrived first. You can create teams where all the players line up and take turns going to the finish line and back – the first team where all the members finished this rotation first will be the winner. 
• Scarecrow building competition: You can set your own guidelines for this activity. For example, you can set a certain due date and time that the participants will have to build the scarecrow, as well as any materials rules/restrictions. To create a scarecrow one would typically need stakes, clothes, pillowcases, and dried grass. If you want more details on how to create a scarecrow click here.   
• American Football game: If you have a large area in your community, you can prepare an American football game! Click here to check out the rules. 

You can even elaborate an entire event with food, music, activity booths, and games, for the entire community to engage with each other and have a great time!

Fun activities

Apart from the outdoor games, there are many indoor activities that your association can organize. These can include a trivia night, with Thanksgiving questions. Bingo is a fun game for all ages. You could organize a house decorating contest, making sure to share your HOA’s decoration rules so that the competition doesn’t cause violations. Then appoint judges, who could be committee members, volunteers, or board members, and decide what the prizes would be. These can be low-budget and fun ideas that residents will enjoy! 

Showing thanks

The main purpose of Thanksgiving in your HOA is to show and give thanks to those you cherish. Board members, volunteers, and residents all deserve acknowledgment for what they do for the community. You can give appreciation cards to all employees and active members of the association, and even awards or gift cards for those who stood out in the community. 

The importance of Thanksgiving in your HOA

Having a unified HOA, that has a community feel, is one of the key factors towards a thriving, active association. Thanksgiving in your HOA is a perfect time to encourage residents to interact with each other and organize events. Having community events fosters community feeling and involvement. Not only this, but it is a great way to help those in need, and show appreciation and acknowledgment for others who made their mark in the community. 

Want to know more ways to celebrate Thanksgiving in your HOA? Click here to know 5 more ways to celebrate this special holiday in your community.