Thanksgiving Crafts and Activities Your Kids Will Love

OKEMOS, Mich.,––Now that Halloween is gone and November is here, it's time to gear up for the holidays. First on the list: Thanksgiving! This holiday is dedicated to the harvest. The very first Thanksgiving happened in 1621 when the Pilgrims and Native Americans hosted and attended a three-day long feast to celebrate the Pilgrims' first successful harvest in the New World.

In modern America we continue to celebrate this holiday with a large one-day or one-meal feast, but there's plenty of fun to be had leading up to Thanksgiving. Get in the spirit and check out these Thanksgiving crafts and activities your kids will love:

Fall Leaf Painting

Grab a few variations of leaves and let the kids have at it to create some cool pieces of art. You can even frame these as a keepsake and bring them out to hang each year when Fall arrives. 

Count Your Blessings Calendar 

Each day, you'll write something you're thankful for on a sticky note and attach to the back of the leaf. Rotate which family member writes each day's note, or come up with each note together. At the end of the month, you can store the notes in a "time capsule" and read them next year. 

Lego Stamped Corn

All you need is paper, a little paint, and a few Legos off the floor. Make a bunch and tie together, or string them up banner style for a cute touch to your Thanksgiving day feast. 

Floating Mayflower Craft & Science Experiment

Make sure to save a few applesauce or fruit cups before doing this floating Mayflower science experiment & have some Play Dough or Silly Putty on hand. Try this in the bath tub or kitchen sink! 

Coffee Filter Turkeys

These colorful and fun turkeys are really easy to make. If you have toddlers, you can cut some of the harder tasks out by prepping the turkey's body ahead of time. 

Stuff the Turkey Game 

Once you're done making the pieces for the game, you can plan as much as you want! Click the link to see how you can vary up the game for players of different ages. 

Mason Jar Candle Holder

This craft is aimed towards older kids or adults, but the younger ones can help with the collection of the leaves. These festive jars are perfect for the Thanksgiving table or entry way to set the mood. 

November has officially arrived and it's time to prepare for guests, good food, and fun activities to do together! We hope these Thanksgiving crafts and activities are ones your kids will love. Before your family starts crafting away, we want to remind you of the importance of taking car of your vehicle this season so that you can make plenty of trips to the grocery store, craft store, and family members' homes safely. Check out our Fall car care tips online and let us know how we can help get you prepared for the cold weather ahead with oil changes, winter tire installments, brake inspections, and more. You can conveniently schedule a service appointment online, or by giving us a call. 

Located conveniently just outside of Lansing, Hank Graff Chevrolet Okemos is here to help you with your car buying and servicing needs. Our goal is to create a transparent experience and a comfortable environment for all of our valuable customers. If you have any questions, or would like to schedule an appointment, reach us at (517) 349-8300, or stop by the dealership at 1748 W. Grand River in Okemos, MI 48864

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7 Creative Fall Date Ideas

OKEMOS, Mich., – Fall is one of the best seasons to plan the perfect date! From a cozy night by the fire to a trip to the ice rink, these 7 creative fall date ideas are sure to impress your significant other on your night out! The best part is, these fall date ideas don't even have to be dates! You can enjoy these activities with your friends or the whole family if you'd prefer. Read on to find fall fun in the Lansing area!

1. Make Homemade Candy Apples

What better way to enjoy each other's company than by crafting your very own candy apples? Whether you prefer yours plain or would rather dip them in layers of M&Ms or peanuts, candied apples are a fall food staple that tastes amazing and are easy to make!

What You'll Need: Red or green apples, lollipop sticks, white sugar, light corn syrup, water, red food coloring

2. Picnic in the Park

It may be a little chilly out, but if you bring a few warm blankets and some hot chocolate, you can set up a little picnic to stay cozy in the autumn weather! Set up your picnic at the Harris Nature Center, Ferguson Park, or take a drive to one of Lansing's beautiful outdoor parks for a day you won't soon forget!

What You'll Need: Blankets, hand warmers, hot chocolate, picnic basket/cooler, lunch supplies

3. Visit the Wonderland of Lights

From November 17th-December 31st, the Potter Park Zoo is transformed into a gorgeous display of lights and visual displays. Visit the animals, enjoy holiday cookies, and take in the incredible Wonderland of Lights at Potter Park Zoo! 

What You'll Need: A warm coat and gloves (it gets cold out!)

4. Take a Trip to the Cider Mill

What better way to enjoy fall festivities than at the cider mill? You can grab a warm cup of cider, snack on a tasty doughnut, kick back on a hayride, and get lost in the corn maze, all in one day! If you aren't sure where to go, check out these cider mills in the Lansing area to find the perfect apple orchard or cider mill to visit this year! 

What You'll Need: An empty stomach and a big smile!

5. Catch a Drive-in Movie

You can catch a double feature at the Ford Drive-In with your significant other on any day of the week! With five screens and plenty of room for any vehicle, you can cozy up and watch two films for the price of one!

What You'll Need: Any snacks you'd like to bring and a couple blankets if it gets cold!

6. Visit the Lansing Art Gallery

Looking for a great date at a great price? Admission to the Lansing Art Gallery is free and open to the public! The gallery is updated bi-monthly so you can discover new works of art every time you visit. Keep an eye on their 2017-2018 calendar to see when special events are taking place throughout the year so you can plan the perfect date during a fun event! 

What You'll Need: An open mind and a pencil and paper if you feel inspired by any art piece you see!

7. Play a Game of FootGolf

Yes, you read that correctly - FootGolf, a combination of soccer and golf, is the newest craze in the Lansing area! Head on down to Hawk Hollow Golf Course and put your fancy footwork to the test in a game of 18 holes. You'll never want to play an ordinary game of golf again!

What You'll Need: Your best athletic clothes, shoes, and a coat (just in case the temperatures drop!)

Total Cost: $15 for 18 holes, $9 for 9 holes

Check these 7 creative fall date ideas off your bucket list before the season ends to ensure that you've made the most of this breathtakingly beautiful season. If you're on the hunt for more fall fun but aren't sure where to start, we can help! Check out our Fall Seasonal Guide to discover orchards and cider mills, exciting autumn events in the Greater Lansing area, and helpful tips to stay safe on the road this season! Before you head out on your date, though, make sure you complete our Fall Car Care routine to avoid an embarrassing breakdown on the road. If you do happen to find anything wrong with your vehicle, make sure to bring it into our Graff Okemos Service Center right away. You won't regret it once the snow starts to fall!

Located conveniently just outside of Lansing, Hank Graff Chevrolet Okemos is here to help you with your car buying and servicing needs. Our goal is to create a transparent experience and a comfortable environment for all of our valuable customers. If you have any questions, or would like to schedule an appointment, reach us at (517) 349-8300, or stop by the dealership at 1748 W. Grand River in Okemos, MI 48864

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7 Facts You Never Knew About Thanksgiving Day

OKEMOS, Mich. –– It's easy to overlook the many histories and mythologies that have developed and compiled over the years behind annual American holidays like Thanksgiving. But this sort of knowledge provides plenty of fodder for conversation, unbeknownst to you and millions of other Americans who gather for turkey each year.

This November, instead of keeping conversation to a minimum and asking your family member to pass the gravy, sit down at the table and bestow your Turkey Day wisdom upon all who will listen to these seven facts they never knew about Thanksgiving Day.

1. TV dinners have origins in Thanksgiving.

Believe it or not, you can thank––or blame––Thanksgiving for TV dinners. Okay, really you can thank Swanson, a food delivery company most popular in the mid-20th century. After Thanksgiving Day in 1953, Swanson found itself overstocked with 260 tons of frozen turkey that hadn't been sold. The company's brilliant solution was to pack portions of turkey, potatoes, peas, and cornbread into an aluminum tray that could be kept in a freezer and heated up when ready to be consumed.

2. The Detroit Lions initiated Thanksgiving Day football.

Way back in 1934, the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears played the first Thanksgiving Day football game in the history of the professional sport. Although the Lions went into the game with a 10–1 record, the Bears were 11–0 and maintained their streak after beating the Lions 19–16. The game was broadcasted by radio, and the first televised Thanksgiving Day game didn't occur until 1956 when the Lions lost 24–20 to the Green Bay Packers.

3. For the last time, turkey doesn't make you sleepy.

We don't want to cause any debates or bad blood between family members at the table this Thanksgiving, but it's time to stop perpetuating this turkey tale every November. Many assume the tryptophan in turkey makes you sleepy, hence that deep sleep your uncle falls into after overindulging on every Turkey Day. However, the truth is your potatoes are what make you sleepy, as well as any other dishes packed with carbohydrates. The tryptophan in turkey is so minimal you would have to eat much more than you're capable of before it ever made you pass out.

4. Humans and pumpkins are related, sort of.

This one might make your family members roll their eyes, or ask each other if you need to see a psychiatrist, but it's true. Humans and pumpkins share DNA sequences that are 75% identical to each other. Of course, that's quite a distance in terms of double-helixes, so be thankful this Thanksgiving that you're a guy or a gal, and not a gourd.

5. Turkeys can weigh as much as large dogs.

Although it's unusual for turkeys to weigh more than 11–24 pounds, there are rare cases where these birds may look large enough to gobble you up on Thanksgiving. Just to give you an idea, the largest turkey ever served on Thanksgiving weighed 86 pounds. With a bird that size, we're guessing Swanson could have packed more than a few extra TV dinners.

6. Americans consume around 690 million pounds of turkey on Thanksgiving.

A number that substantial makes you wonder how turkeys haven't gone extinct, or it makes you realize how many of these snooded birds exist. To put it into perspective, 690 million pounds is equal to the weight of Singapore's population, or 57,500 African bush elephants, or about 172,500 new Chevy cars. You get the point, it's a lot of turkey.

7. The first Thanksgiving Day feast extended three days.

In today's busy world, we only make time to sit down for turkey a few hours once a year. But when the pilgrims sailed over from Europe to North America, they made sure to drag out out their festivities over the course of three days. During that time, the settlers took time to savor their food, play games, dance, and shoot guns in celebration of their safe arrival.

This year, stuff the turkey and then stuff your family members' minds with these seven facts they never knew about Thanksgiving Day. At the end of the holiday they'll drive home astonished with new knowledge about one of their favorite American holidays. But before you or your guests head home from your Turkey Day destination, make sure you check out our Thanksgiving travel tips to help you avoid traffic here.

Hank Graff Chevrolet Okemos is committed to providing you with integrity and convenience, all close to home. Let the friendly team of Chevy professionals at our Delta Charter Township area Chevrolet dealer help you. Call us at (517) 349-8300 or visit our showroom, located at 1748 W. Grand River Okemos, MI 48864. We’re just minutes from Lansing!

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