Thanksgiving is the quintessential American holiday that revolves around food and family. For those of us with IC, it can also be stressful. Being on our feet for hours to cook or managing challenging family relationships can make our symptoms worse. Sometimes we need a fresh start of new traditions as we constantly adjust and readjust to life with a chronic illness.

Stick with traditions that work for you and your family. But consider adding some new traditions into the mix to connect and enjoy the holiday more, regardless of how your bladder is feeling. This list of 20 low-key Thanksgiving traditions is a great place to start!

1. Play board games.

Is your family competitive? Maybe you all are sporty and one of those families who play football together on Thanksgiving. Try out board games instead for some friendly competition. While there are traditional board games played at a table, like Monopoly, Sorry, Clue, Life, Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit, there are other great options you can play from a comfy couch. These games are some of my family’s favorite:

If tabletop works for you and you’re ready for something different, then try some of these family games everyone will enjoy from kids to grandparents (at least that’s true for my family!):

2. Have a parade party.

Watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade is a pretty traditional thing to do. (It’s one of my personal favs!) Watching it live can sometimes be challenging when prepping for the big day. Record it on your DVR or stream it and watch it Thanksgiving evening as a family with a few snacks. Everyone can snuggle into the couch and relax together.

3. Make pretty table decorations or settings.

If you’re crafty but can’t be on your feet so much, take over making table decorations and place settings — most of which you can do while seated. Check out Pinterest and Etsy for some inspiration on simple ways to make your table more festive. One simple idea my family is doing this year is writing what we’re thankful for on a lightly colored pumpkin.

4. Have some intentional talk.

Look for some conversation starters online and get the conversation flowing during or after Thanksgiving dinner. Usually these things lead to family stories nobody has heard before and can often involve lots of laughter. For instance, you might be surprised to find out the superhero power your family members would pick!

Another great idea is to have everyone share three things for which they’re thankful. A third option to consider is having everyone share what they’re thankful for about each other.

5. Make a gratitude jar.

Use a jar (or envelope) and have everyone write down a few things for which they’re thankful and drop them in. You can even do this for a couple of weeks ahead of time. Open the jar or envelope and read everyone’s responses together. For an added activity, try guessing who wrote each item.

6. Prep for Black Friday.

Thanksgiving evening can be a great time to connect with your loved ones while looking for good deals. Who doesn’t love to save money?! While Black Friday deals start earlier and earlier each year, many retailers — both online and in-person — still have big specials for Black Friday itself. Go through ads and share your finds together with your family. Maybe even plan out what you’re going to purchase (online or in-person) to get a jump on your holiday shopping.

7. Make a family recipe book.

If you’re doing a carry-in style Thanksgiving dinner, ask each person to bring copies of the recipe(s) they made. Put them all together into a recipe book for each person to take home with them. Or ask each guest to bring a family favorite recipe or a beloved childhood recipe and put together a cookbook that way.

8. Watch a movie together.

When I was young, I’d often go to a movie on Thanksgiving Day with one of my older cousins. It’s something I looked forward to each year. Make your own movie tradition by streaming something your whole family will like and cuddle up together to watch. Don’t forget about classics like “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.”

9. Create a Thanksgiving playlist.

Be the person in charge of music and come up with a Thanksgiving playlist for your family. Ask everyone for their favorite songs or artists ahead of time or just pick some songs you know everyone will enjoy. Music is great for setting an atmosphere and bringing people together.

10. Do a craft together.

Find an easy Thanksgiving craft to do together and lead everyone in doing it. This can be as simple as a coloring page. Just sitting together and doing something artsy is often a great way to get conversation flowing. Plus you can easily sit comfortably while crafting.

11. Play Thanksgiving-themed games.

From Thanksgiving trivia to “This or That” games and beyond, you can find all sorts of Thanksgiving games online to bring your family together. Search online for printable Thanksgiving games, print out some copies and get to playing!

12. Connect virtually.

There are all sorts of reasons you may not be able to connect in-person with your loved ones and/or friends on Thanksgiving. If that’s the case, incorporate a special Thanksgiving video call to connect with those who aren’t with you.

13. Vote for your favorite sides.

The turkey may be the star of dinner, but sides are often the favorites. Organize a vote for your family’s favorite sides and/or desserts. Then give out a small prize to the cook of the winning dish(es)!

14. Put together a slideshow.

Go through family photos from the previous year or all time and put together a slideshow of your favorites to display on Thanksgiving Day. A picture really is worth 1,000 words!

15. Make Christmas cards for nursing home residents.

Giving back to others is a great tradition to start any time of year. Since Thanksgiving is the traditional kickoff to the Christmas season, use some time as a family on Thanksgiving Day to make Christmas cards you can donate to a local nursing home to spread holiday cheer.

16. Watch the national dog show.

Just after the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the national dog show is aired. Watch it live as a family or stream it later if your gang loves furry friends!

17. Organize a family photo.

While this sounds like a simple and relatively small tradition, it’s a great one to start. Take charge of gathering everyone for a group photo. These will become precious and prized memories one day!

18. Go on a gratitude scavenger hunt.

Come up with your own idea for a gratitude scavenger hunt and organize your family to do so. For example, you could have everyone find three things that make them smile, something that smells good and so on. Use phones to take photos for the hunt or just list the items. You can also find premade gratitude scavenger hunts online.

19. Complete a puzzle together.

Find a puzzle just for Thanksgiving Day your family can work on together. This is a great activity to do while seated and gives you a chance to work together and strengthen your bond.

20. Draw names for Christmas gifts.

If you’re spending Thanksgiving and Christmas with the same people, Thanksgiving can be a great time to draw names for gift-giving. Consider having each person write down a couple of things they’d like in the set price range or some of their favorites and then draw names.

Looking for more on Thanksgiving and IC? Check out these posts as well: