Did you see anyone get “Booed” last month, or maybe you spotted “You’ve Been Booed” signs on neighbors’ doors? Possibly you were the ones doing the “Boo-ing.” If yes, you may be familiar with this form of holiday kindness. “You’ve Been Gobbled” follows the same train of thought and execution—showering someone with kindness during the month of November. This child-led Thanksgiving tradition is a lot of fun for children, from creating gift baskets to anonymously delivering goodies to neighbors, and it’s fun for both the giver and the recipient.
You’ve Been Gobbled
A Creative Thanksgiving Tradition of Giving
If this is all a new concept to you, the idea is to anonymously surprise someone, or in this case “Gobble” them and ask them to pay it forward by “Gobbling” someone else with kindness. Share goodies, toys, sweets, essentials, or anything you think the recipient would like. They then put together two more baskets and pay it forward to two other neighbors, and so on. You can start this Thanksgiving tradition idea anywhere: in your workplace, your neighborhood, or in your personal network. It is lovely to be able to watch the goodness grow and spread, as more and more people join in on the fun.
Let the Kids Lead
My favorite part of doing these types of activities is getting my little helpers hands-on with the project. What better time to talk to them about showing gratitude and spreading kindness than around Thanksgiving? Get your kids involved with every part of the action, from including their input on who could use a little extra goodness in their lives right now to what exactly that might entail.
Whether you are creating something homemade or shopping for something online, it’s great for them to be able to offer suggestions and make choices here, too. They love being involved in decision-making and it really makes them feel invested in the project. When doing things like this, we usually set a budget before planning out the gifts, so we know how many people or families we can surprise. The surprises don’t have to be costly, either. It can be something as sweet and simple as a handwritten note, drawing, or homemade card. The idea of this Thanksgiving tradition is not to go broke, but just to spread a little sunshine. That can be done with just a few kind words!
Who to Gobble
Pick an individual or family to Gobble. Does everyone in the family get to choose someone or are you going to choose a family/individual together? How are you going to choose who to surprise? Has someone had a recent big life change? Even if it was for the better, life changes can often be difficult to maneuver.
Holidays are great for some, but not all. Maybe this time of year is really hard for someone you all know. There might be someone in your life you are appreciative of, and you want to shower them with goodness. You could choose someone with one of these qualifiers or maybe your child wants to choose their best friend, coach, teacher, etc. Your options are endless for this Thanksgiving tradition, choose one or all!
How Do You Gobble?
Decide how you will Gobble. Will it be something they can literally “gobble up?” Are you writing a letter, baking a treat, or sending a gift card? Will it be a singular surprise or a basket of goodness? Is the person in need of something you are able to provide, or are you just looking to brighten someone’s day?
There’s no wrong way to Gobble, so any way you Gobble is a great way! The Dollar Store is a great place to find fun on-theme trinkets as well as baskets themselves. Maybe cooking utensils or holiday decor would go well in your basket? Favorite holiday recipes, useful household tools, gifts for the family kids and pets, and seasonal pick-me-ups are some ideas for your basket.
Get Your Gobble Ready
One of the best parts of this Thanksgiving tradition is the delivery of the gifts. Kids love to deliver the goodies and run, like a ding-dong ditch. Start by choosing a time and place. Will you be dropping off the surprise in person? Are you trying to choose a time when you know whether they will or won’t be home? Would it be better to deliver the Gobble to their workplace or school? Does the person live locally, or will you need to ship?
Make a plan and figure out the logistics of how your surprise will go down. If you need additional “Gobblers” to be able to complete your plan, recruit some! Most people are more than happy to help with a surprise.
Go Forth and Gobble
Once you have chosen the who, what, how, where, and when you are surprising your intended individual or family, the last steps are prep and execution. When preparing your item or items to pass on, be sure to include a note about the idea for “You’ve Been Gobbled” and that the recipient should pass along the “Gobble” if they are able to do so. They may not know what to make of the surprise without instructions! You can write out the directions by hand, or there are many cute printables online for this purpose. Once you have everything gathered up and ready to go, set out and get to Gobbling!
While anonymity has traditionally played a part in the magic of these acts of kindness, you may want to be more forthcoming in the current climate. This may be especially important if your kindness includes perishable food items or items that may be difficult to clean, depending on the recipient’s preferences.
We look forward to this fun Thanksgiving tradition every year. Our kids love Thanksgiving, surprises, and hands-on activities! The whole process will be exciting for them from creating the goodie bags to ringing the doorbell and running. So get creative and bring a smile to someone’s face this Thanksgiving! If your kids love the “You’ve Been Gobbled” concept as much as mine did, start preparing for You’ve Been Jingled and spread holiday cheer in December, keep in mind “You’ve Been Booed” for next Halloween!
What are your favorite Thanksgiving traditions? Have you ever been gobbled? If not, start the “You’ve Been Gobbled” Thanksgiving tradition yourself! Share your comments and pictures with us below or tag us on social media using #PLAYindy. Follow Indy with Kids on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest for all of the best ideas and things to do with kids in Indy!
