Thanksgiving weekend can be a gauntlet of small talk, family drama, and awkward silences. But if you’re looking for ways to spice up the holiday, maybe skip the bizarre traditions on this list. Here are a few things you should definitely not try this Thanksgiving—unless you actually want to be the next viral video.
The Flaming Turkey Toss
First up, the flaming turkey toss. Let’s face it, nothing says “holiday spirit” like fire hazards and questionable safety choices. Originating with a group of college students in Indiana in the early 2000s, this tradition involved dressing a frozen turkey in a baby onesie, tying it to a chain, soaking it in lighter fluid, setting it ablaze, and hurling it across a football field. Optional accessories? A kilt and an apparent disregard for self-preservation.
“This is what we do. We throw. Life is so simple. It’s so good, isn’t it?” one participant told WTHR in Indianapolis back in the day.
“Having that flame rotate around your body and the sound and the heat…I don’t know, it’s like being the center of the universe,” another added.
Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your perspective), the flaming turkey toss fizzled out after a few years. Apparently, the participants decided family dinners were a safer bet.
The Turducken
What’s better than a turkey? A chicken inside a duck inside a turkey. For the true overachiever, wrap the whole thing in bacon and prepare for a food coma. While the turducken has become a cult classic, its prep time—and the caloric aftermath—might leave you wishing you’d just stuck with mashed potatoes.
Turkey-Calling Competitions
This one’s for the hunters…or kids trying to drive their parents crazy. Turkey-calling competitions showcase the art of mimicking turkey sounds, often with the help of devices like the Pecker Wrecker, Hot Lips and The Flirt—names that sound more like they belong in a romance novel than a hunting shop. But unless you’re ready to handle ear-splitting gobbles at the dinner table, maybe save this skill for the great outdoors.
Frozen Turkey Bowling
If you’re aiming for a strike this Thanksgiving (sorry, we had to), maybe stick to an actual bowling alley. Frozen turkey bowling involves setting up soft-drink bottles as pins and rolling a frozen turkey to knock them down. It’s best played in a grocery-store aisle—but be prepared to get kicked out or worse. Other “playing fields” might include your hallway, an icy sidewalk, or last summer’s backyard slip-and-slide. Pro tip: don’t try this at home (or anywhere, really).
Ambrosia Salad
For dessert (or maybe it’s a side dish? No one knows for sure), ambrosia salad makes its mark. Start with a creamy base like mayo, marshmallow fluff, or whipped cream, then mix in crushed pineapple, canned mandarin oranges, maraschino cherries, shredded coconut, and mini marshmallows. Top it off with more cherries for good measure. Is it a culinary masterpiece or an unholy amalgamation? We’ll let you decide.
