Here's What These Celebrities Had To Say About Their Thanksgiving Traditions

News By TooFab Staff | 11/19/2021 12:38 PM PT

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Thanksgiving is one of the most meaningful days of the year as families gather to express their gratitude for their lives and their loved ones. The annual gathering is often one of the few days the entire family can get together and with that, comes some special traditions. Whether it’s simply cooking a massive meal, camping, or even a turkey trot, there’s bound to be lasting memories made. And obviously, famous families get in on the holiday fun too! From Jennifer Garner to Gigi Hadid, these celebs have all created meaningful traditions throughout the years. Read on to find out how celebs celebrate Thanksgiving each year...

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Chris Tomlin

Contemporary Christian superstar Chris Tomlin expressed his thoughts about the holiday season in his new song “Thank You Lord,” sharing that his most important tradition is spending time with family and reflecting on their blessings. “Just like the song ‘Thank You Lord,’ with my friends Thomas Rhett and Florida Georgia Line, says...My favorite Thanksgiving tradition is taking time with my family to reflect on all the blessings we have been given!” Chris told TooFab.

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Kenny G

Kenny G has a major tradition every Thanksgiving — he performs in the Thanksgiving Day Parade! Kenny has played on various floats throughout the years but he says above all, he enjoys getting to spend quality time with his friends and family. "Performing at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is definitely a special Thanksgiving memory for me, but nothing beats being at home with my kids and time with family,” Kenny told TooFab.

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Blake Shelton & Gwen Stefani

Blake Shelton and his wife Gwen Stefani spend Thanksgiving on Lake Texoma in Oklahoma, a tradition they started when they first got together in 2015. Blake says the entire family is invited and they spend five days away at a bed and breakfast he owns. "We all fly out to Oklahoma, like 30 of us. Blake has this bed and breakfast hotel that we all stay at, and it's just pretty incredible. We have fun, we all cool together, it's fun,” Gwen told Entertainment Tonight.

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Sarah Jessica Parker

Sarah Jessica Parker says that one of her family’s favorite parts of the Thanksgiving holiday is ordering pumpkin pies from New York’s Little Pie Company, which they’ve been doing for the past “10 or 15 years.” They order so many that they run out of places to store them! “We put them on the floor of the laundry room or in the back of a minivan where it’s cold. We put them outside because they don’t fit in the fridge, and we eat the pies for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. My daughter, Tabitha, goes crazy for them,” Sarah Jessica told People.

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Pamela Anderson

As a vegetarian, Pamela Anderson avoids the traditional Thanksgiving meal and instead opts to actually spend her time with turkeys. She says she often heads to the Gentle Barn, a sanctuary for abused animals, and hangs out with the birds. "I go to the Gentle Barn and hang with the turkeys. I tickle them under the wings and I sit them on my lap, and I feed them pumpkin pie,” Pamela told Page Six.

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Emma Roberts

Emma Roberts says that one of her favorite parts of the holiday season is her family’s massive feast — especially if it includes her favorite food, stuffing! And with the addition of Emma’s first child Rhodes, this is sure to be an even more special holiday. "On Thanksgiving we always just have a big feast. Stuffing is my favorite food in the world! I actually have been known to go buy stuffing and make it in the middle of summer," she shared with Us Weekly.

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Gigi Hadid

When it comes to the Thanksgiving meal, Gigi Hadid says it’s always her job to make the pies for the family. While she has her pie preferences, she noted that she always makes a variety because she has a pretty picky family! "I always make pies for Thanksgiving. I'm the pie girl. I love rhubarb pie, I love apple pie and pumpkin pie and blackberry pie — but sometimes that mixes with the rhubarb into one [pie]. Well, we have a big family and they're very picky, so I do lots of choices of pie,” Gigi told WWD.

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Luke Bryan

Luke Bryan and his family like to spend their Thanksgiving somewhere warm, whether that’s going to the beach locally or in Apalachicola, Florida. They have some family favorite foods too — especially oysters! “We sometimes go to the beach. A fun turkey tradition for us is getting fresh oysters from Apalachicola and we sit and shuck oysters all week. Turnips and collards are my big thing,” Luke told his “American Idol” co-hosts.

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Michael B Jordan

Michael B. Jordan is all about food, football and family time on Thanksgiving. He joked that he only makes one trip to the food table so he packs his plate as high as possible before sitting down to watch the game (and fall asleep). “For me I just get one big plate and I kind of pile everything on. I’m not making multiple trips. I just take one pile back to the couch and eat until I’m in a deep coma-like sleep. I just pass out and then I end up waking up in the third quarter of the football game. I end up watching the rest of the game. Football and food,” he said on “The View.”

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Kyle Richards

Kyle Richards gets the whole family together for Thanksgiving and has everyone contribute something to the meal! She says that she and her sister Kim even have an annual competition to find out who can make the best turkey. "My sister Kim and I have competitions with our turkeys on Thanksgiving, and my sister Kathy loves my famous mashed potatoes. I really have fun cooking during the holidays. My kids love to help me. It's just family tradition to have everyone cooking together, and we have holiday parties as well,” Kyle told Us Weekly.

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Katie Holmes

One of Katie Holmes’ favorite Thanksgiving traditions was started by her father and involves kicking off the day with a little exercise! Each year, the family takes part in a Turkey Trot and while Katie has never won the race, she still has a lot of fun. “Many years ago, my dad started this tradition where we all do this run in the local park. It’s a three-mile run called the Turkey Trot. There’s even a prize, which I haven’t won yet. But it’s really fun,” Katie said on “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.”

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Kristen Bell

Every Thanksgiving Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard round up the family for an off the grid camping trip. The annual tradition allows them plenty of quality time and a unique experience. “We go camping every Thanksgiving. We rent a motorhome. We go to the sand dunes with the kids and cell phones don’t work and we just go off-roading and we make food in a little motorhome kitchen. We sit out and play cards and games and that’s our Thanksgiving tradition,” Kristen told E! News.

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Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba and her family, including her husband Cash Warren and their three children, make the most of their time together during the holidays and create as many traditions as possible. As for traditions in the kitchen, Jessica says that her dad is always in charge of making the turkey and puts a unique spin on the yearly dish. “I love holiday traditions. We have a big family-and-friend sit-down dinner. Cash, me and my parents throw down in the kitchen, and my dad makes the most yummy tender turkeys. He makes a spicy version—seasoned with fresh jalapeños—and a classic version with all the fixings,” Jessica told InStyle.

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Jennifer Garner

Jennifer Garner says that for her family, Thanksgiving is all about traveling to be with each other, no matter where that may be. Most importantly, she wants to be in the kitchen with her mom and sister cooking a meal for all of their loved ones. “We celebrate the holidays with as many family members as we can gather together, whether it’s at our house in LA or we travel to West Virginia...you know you’re always going somewhere or someone is coming in. Nothing makes me happier than being in the kitchen with my mom and sisters. That to me, feels like Thanksgiving,” Jennifer told ModernMom.

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Here's What These Celebrities Had To Say About Their Thanksgiving Traditions

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