Every year, college students flock home to celebrate Thanksgiving with family. But did you know that Boston alone has over 34,000 international students who don’t usually celebrate an American holiday like Thanksgiving and often get less than a week of school off, making traveling back home difficult. Thanksgiving in Boston can be a lonely time, but if you’re looking for things to do in Boston during Thanksgiving, Reclaimer has its doors open!

Attend a local church service near your college campus

A Thanksgiving tradition at Reclaimer happens the week before people start leaving before Thanksgiving: our special Sunday Service we call Thanksgiving Celebration. It’s a chance to gather to reflect and celebrate the past year and all that God has done: whether it’s recounting all the significant people who played a role in your spiritual life, or crucial events that taught you a lesson, this a service to celebrate our lives wherever we’re at! 

Also included in the service is a Thanksgiving feast. You can expect the full spread: turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casseroles, corn bread, pumpkin pies, apple pies, cranberry sauces, and more! Our Reclaimer services usually end with a free lunch and Thankgiving is no exception. As we eat, we’ll be watching different ministry groups and campuses perform dances and songs they’ve put together. If you remember Acts 2 Live earlier this spring, you might even see an extra musical number that didn’t make it into the final cut 👀

In previous years, we’ve also extended the day to play sports together at an open gym. 

Volunteer at a local shelter or convalescent home in Boston

One of the best ways to spend Thanksgiving in Boston is by giving back to the community. At a time in the year where we like to celebrate and remember the fullness of our lives, it can be the perfect context to give back. In past years at Reclaimer, we spend part of Thanksgiving day at local shelters, churches, or convalescent homes to provide meals and companionship to those in need. 

Another Reclaimer Thanksgiving tradition is to end the night of Thanksgiving not with the typical turkey and mashed potatoes (we already did that at Thanskgiving Celebration!) but with hot pot. This year some of the service opportunities we’ll be doing around Thanksgiving time include a canned food drive and elderly care home visits.  

Travel locally with old and new friends during the holiday 

If you really don’t want to be stuck in Boston but also don’t want to deal with all the logistics of planning a trip… or if you just want other people to travel with, you can join Reclaimer! Every year we do a quick weekend trip together to fellowship and enjoy the outdoors. As Boston empties out, why not go on a quick getaway to enjoy New Hampshire foliage? 

This year we’ll be meeting up with some of the other churches in the Northeast that are also part of our network. In past years, we’ve explored new hikes in the area, played boardgames next to the roaring fireplace, and watched some old videos. This is also a fun time to recollect the year, and zoom out to see what God has done in one another’s lives. 

Find your home away from home at Reclaimer this Thanksgiving

If you’re still around this Thanksgiving, you’re welcome to join us and invite your friends! We’ll be having a Thanksgiving brunch before heading to New Hampshire as well. Join as much or as little as you’d like. Either way, Thanksgiving can be a time to for new connections and make the most of your time in the ctiy.