Thanksgiving Games for Adults: 12 to Play After Dinner
Nov 10, 2026 · The Editors
Thanksgiving games for adults that work around a full table after dinner: card games, dice games, dominoes and no-equipment games, with how many can play and how long each takes.
After the Thanksgiving meal, there is a lull: everyone is full, the game on television is half-watched, and the table is still the best place in the house. A good after-dinner game fills that hour. It should be quick to explain, work with whoever is around, and be easy to drop when the pie arrives.
What makes a good Thanksgiving game
- Teachable in two minutes. Half the table has had wine.
- Flexible numbers. People come and go; the game should cope.
- Short rounds. So newcomers can join at the next round.
- Little to set up. One deck, a few dice or a box of dominoes.
Card games for a crowd
All of these need one standard deck.
| Game | Players | Time | Why it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spoons | 3–13 | 15 min | Loud, fast, everyone laughs |
| Cheat | 3–10 | 20 min | Bluffing suits family dinners |
| President | 4–8 | 30 min | Ranks change every hand |
| Golf | 2–6 | 20 min | Simple, with a little strategy |
| Oh Hell | 3–7 | 45 min | For the table that wants a real game |
A plastic deck is worth it on a day of gravy and spilled drinks — a waterproof deck wipes clean.
Dice games
Dice games need almost no explaining and let any number play in turn.
| Game | Dice | Players | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farkle | 6 | 2+ | 30 min |
| Midnight | 6 | 2+ | 1 min a round |
| Ship, captain and crew | 5 | 2+ | 1 min a round |
| Bunco | 3 per table | 8 or 12 | 1 hour |
Table games
- [Shut the box](/journal/shut-the-box-rules): roll two dice, close tiles that add up to the roll. A four-player shut the box lets four play at once, and anyone can take a turn as they pass.
- [Mexican train dominoes](/journal/mexican-train-dominoes-rules): the classic big-family domino game, best with four to eight.
Games with no equipment
For when the table is still covered in dishes:
- Thankful alphabet: go round the table naming something you are thankful for, A to Z. Miss a letter and you are out.
- Two truths and a lie: each person says three things about their year; everyone guesses the lie.
- Twenty questions: one person thinks of a person, place or thing; everyone else has twenty yes-or-no questions to find it.
- Who said it: read out quotes from family members over the years and guess who said them.
Thanksgiving games at work
At an office lunch, keep it short and inclusive: the thankful alphabet or a quick round of Midnight works at a desk cluster, and nobody has to be good at anything.
Make it a tradition
The best Thanksgiving game is the one you play every year. Leave the box out on the table, and the family will start asking for it. Our game night gifts guide has more ideas if you are hosting, and the six-dice cup set covers both Farkle and Midnight.
Mentioned above
Products in this guide
Shut the Box — Four Player
Farkle Dice Set — Leather Cup and Six Dice
Double-Six Dominoes — 28 Piece Set
Playing Card Holders — Hands-Free, Set of Four
Waterproof PVC Deck — Polka Dot
