Thanksgiving Day is the perfect opportunity to spend quality time with your loved ones at home. Good food and entertainment options are the key to making the most of this holiday season.
Luckily, staying entertained on Thanksgiving Day at home comes easy – thanks to all the Thanksgiving-themed movies, cable TV specials, the legendary Thanksgiving Day parade, and football!
Watch Best Thanksgiving TV Specials
Watching reruns of your favorite shows on TV is a tradition that never disappoints. However, don’t forget to tune in to Thanksgiving TV specials to enjoy some fresh content that complements the season.
Aside from Thanksgiving-themed episodes from popular sitcoms, here’s what you can’t miss on TV:
- Saturday Night Live (SNL) Thanksgiving Specials – on NBC and Peacock
- The 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade – on NBC
- The National Dog Show – on NBC
- CNN Thanksgiving Day Coverage – on CNN
- Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol – on Disney Channel
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Top Movies to Watch on Thanksgiving Day
There’s no better way to spend Thanksgiving than curling up in your favorite blanket on the couch and watching a movie that complements the vibe. You can either stick with the classics or enjoy the more recent releases – on second thought, why not both?
Best Thanksgiving Classics:
- Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
- Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)
- Home for the Holidays (1995)
- Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
- A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)
Best Modern-Day Thanksgiving Films:
- Knives Out (2019)
- The Humans (2021)
- Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
- Thanksgiving (2023)
- Hollidaysburg (2014)
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How to Watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade
American Thanksgiving is incomplete without the annual parade, which is why the the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a must-watch. In 2025, the lively parade will light up the streets of Manhattan and our TV screens on Thursday, November 27.
The parade will begin at 8:30 AM (in all time zones) and be roughly 3.5 hours long, so it will run till noon. This event will primarily air on NBC and Peacock, but Fubo subscribers can stream it as well. Lastly, you can catch the encore at 2 PM ET/PT on NBC.
The 2025 Thanksgiving Day Parade will be hosted by Hoda Kotb, Al Roker, and Savannah Guthrie. There’s a lot to look forward to with seven new floats being added to the parade this year:
- The Labubu Float – Spot on and self-explanatory!
- Master Chocolatier Ballroom from Lindt
- Upside Down Invasion (Stranger Things by Netflix)
- LEGO-themed Winter Mountain
- The Counting Sheep's Dream – a dreamy float by Serta
- The Land of Glaciers by Holland America Line
- A tiny float from Goldfish (crackers)
Catch the Whole Thanksgiving Parade on Peacock
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Enjoy Live Football Matches on Thanksgiving Day 2025
2025’s Thanksgiving football lineup is one for the ages, especially for all the National Football League (NFL) fans out there.
Check out the NFL Thanksgiving schedule and get ready for an amazing holiday ahead:
| NFL Game | Date & Day | Starting Time (ET) | Where to Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions | 27th Nov 2025 (Thursday) | 1:00 PM | FOX, Fox Deportes, and Tubi |
| Kansas City Chiefs vs. Dallas Cowboys | 27th Nov 2025 (Thursday) | 4:30 PM | CBS and Paramount+ |
| Cincinnati Bengals vs. Baltimore Ravens | 27th Nov 2025 (Thursday) | 8:20 PM | NBC, Telemundo, UNIVERSO, and Peacock |
To sum things up, you have plenty to keep yourself busy this Thanksgiving Day. From live NFL matches to TV specials and movies, there’s something for everyone to take their mind off the daily grind and relax for a bit.
FAQs
You can catch several Thanksgiving Day special programs on your local channels with cable TV. Some of the audience favorites include the annual Thanksgiving parade and SNL specials on NBC.
If you enjoy your turkey with some thrills and chills, you may enjoy watching Thanksgiving-themed horror films like Thankskilling (2007), Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving (2007), and Black Friday (2021).
Some of the best classic TV shows that honor Thanksgiving Day include Gilmore Girls (Season 3, Episode 9), Friends (Season 1, Episode 9), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Season 4, Episode 8), and Grey’s Anatomy (Season 2, Episode 9).
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Robert is a dedicated and knowledgeable author, an SEO expert with a passion for all things tech. He has a keen eye for detail, allowing him to write interesting blogs that are informative and engaging for readers. He has extensive knowledge of internet, TV, and phone pricing and plans, and has created numerous how-to guides to help users make informed decisions. As a tech geek and TV buff, he is always up-to-date on the latest trends and developments in the industry, making his content always fresh and relevant.
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