50 Thanksgiving conversation starters to spark connection at the table

Thanksgiving is about more than the turkey and pumpkin pie. It’s also one of the few times in the year when families and friends gather around the same table. But let’s be honest, sometimes conversation can stall between bites of stuffing. That’s where a few thoughtful conversation starters come in handy.

Below, you’ll find 50 Thanksgiving conversation starters across five categories — enough to keep everyone from grandparents to kids engaged.

Lighthearted Thanksgiving questions

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1. What’s your must-have Thanksgiving dish, and what could you skip?

2. If you could invite any celebrity or historical figure to dinner, who would it be?

3. What’s your funniest Thanksgiving memory?

4. Which pie team are you on: pumpkin, pecan, or apple?

5. If you had to cook the entire Thanksgiving meal by yourself, what would happen?

6. What’s your favorite holiday movie to watch after Thanksgiving dinner?

7. If you could swap turkey for another main dish, what would it be?

8. What food combo on your plate shouldn’t work, but somehow does?

9. What’s the weirdest food you’ve ever tried at a holiday meal?

10. If Thanksgiving were a song, what would it sound like?

Gratitude-focused conversation starters

1. What’s one small thing you’re thankful for this year?

2. Who made your year better, and how?

3. What’s one challenge you faced this year that ended up being a blessing?

4. What’s something you’re looking forward to in the year ahead?

5. What’s a tradition you’re thankful our family has kept alive?

6. Who inspires you the most, and why?

7. What’s the nicest thing someone did for you this year?

8. What’s one way you gave back this year?

9. What everyday convenience are you most grateful for?

10. What’s one lesson from this year that you’ll carry into the future?

Questions for kids and teens

1. What food would you add to the Thanksgiving menu if you could?

2. What’s your favorite family tradition?

3. If you had to trade chores for extra dessert, what chore would you pick? 

4. What made you laugh the hardest this year?

5. If you could invent a new holiday, what would it celebrate?

6. Which is better: leftovers or fresh-from-the-oven?

7. What’s your favorite way to spend a long weekend?

8. If you could decorate the table any way you wanted, what would it look like?

9. If you had a magic wishbone, what would you wish for?

10. What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever heard at Thanksgiving?

Conversation starters for multigenerational tables

1. What was Thanksgiving like when you were a kid?

2. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to younger family members?

3. What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?

4. If our family wrote a cookbook, what recipe would you contribute?

5. What’s a job you had that taught you something important?

6. What’s the best piece of advice you ever got from your parents or grandparents?

7. What was your favorite toy growing up?

8. What family tradition do you hope never disappears?

9. What invention has changed your life the most?

10. What’s a story about our family that everyone should hear?

Creative and silly icebreakers

1. If you could only eat one side dish forever, which would it be?

2. If Thanksgiving had a mascot, what would it look like?

3. Who at the table is most likely to sneak a second piece of pie?

4. If turkeys could talk, what would they say today?

5. What would you name the turkey if it were a family pet?

6. If you had to wear food as an outfit, what would you choose?

7. What’s the silliest thing you’ve ever seen happen at Thanksgiving?

8. Who at the table tells the best jokes?

9. If you could design a Thanksgiving float for a parade, what would it feature?

10. What would happen if we celebrated Thanksgiving in the summer?

Tips for keeping Thanksgiving conversations fun

Here are a few ways to make sure everyone enjoys themselves:

• Ask questions that include everyone at the table, from young kids to grandparents, so no one feels left out.

• Invite children to join in with their own questions. Their creativity and curiosity often lead to delightful surprises.

• Mix in a blend of playful topics and heartfelt ones. This balance keeps the energy light while still leaving room for meaningful reflection.

• Steer clear of sensitive or polarizing subjects. The goal is to create connection, laughter, and gratitude, not debate.

Wrapping up with gratitude (and maybe seconds of pie)

A few thoughtful Thanksgiving questions can transform dinner from small talk to meaningful memories. Whether you’re laughing about favorite dishes, swapping family stories, or sharing gratitude, conversation starters bring everyone closer together. And that’s something worth celebrating long after the leftovers are gone.

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This blog post is provided "as is" and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional advice. Some content in this post may have been created using artificial intelligence; however, every blog post is reviewed by at least two human editors.