40 Thanksgiving Jokes for the Whole Table
Forty original, clean Thanksgiving jokes about turkey, pie, sides, leftovers, football and parades, plus knock-knock jokes and table games for the whole family.
Key takeaways
- Thanksgiving jokes about food, football and leftovers are easy wins for every generation at the table.
- Put jokes on place cards or in a jar to keep conversation light between courses.
- Choose jokes that bring people together, and skip anything that could make a guest feel left out.
On this page
Thanksgiving brings family and friends around one very full table, and a few good jokes help everyone relax between the turkey and the pie. In the US, Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November; in Canada, it’s the second Monday of October. Wherever you celebrate, here are 40 clean, original Thanksgiving jokes, from the main course to the leftovers, plus knock-knock jokes and table games.
Turkey jokes
- What do you call a turkey that loves to dance? A disco bird.
- Why did the turkey sit at the kids’ table? It heard that’s where all the fun was.
- What’s a turkey’s favorite dessert? Gobbler cobbler.
- Why did the turkey join the choir? It had a real gift for gobble-ing up the high notes.
- What did the turkey say to the chef? “Take your time. I’m not in a hurry.”
- Why did the turkey get a trophy? It was the star of the table.
- Why did the turkey bring a map to dinner? It wanted to find the best seat.
- Why did the turkey feel so popular? Everyone kept asking for a piece of the action.
Side dish jokes
- Why did the mashed potatoes win the talent show? They were such smooth performers.
- What did the gravy say to the potatoes? “I’ll always pour my heart out for you.”
- Why does cranberry sauce always keep its shape? It never forgets where it came from.
- Why did the green beans feel left out? Everyone kept passing them by.
- Why did the sweet potatoes wear sunglasses? The marshmallows on top were too bright.
- What did the stuffing say to the turkey? “Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered on the inside.”
- Why was the dinner roll so cheerful? It was on a roll all evening.
- Why did the corn bring a joke book to dinner? It wanted to be a-maize-ing.
- Why did the salad feel shy? Nobody noticed it until the second helping.
Pie and dessert jokes
- Why was the pumpkin pie so calm at dinner? It knew the best was saved for last.
- Why did the apple pie refuse to argue? It didn’t want things to get crusty.
- What did the whipped cream say to the pie? “I’ll top that.”
- Why did the pecan pie start a band? It was nuts about music.
- Why did the pie go to the art class? It wanted to learn how to decorate its crust.
- What did the ice cream say to the warm pie? “You’re melting my heart.”
Football and parade jokes
- Why did the football team come to Thanksgiving dinner? They heard there’d be lots of passing.
- Why did the giant balloon lead the parade? It had the most uplifting personality.
- Why did the marching band bring snacks? They wanted to keep their energy on a high note.
- Why did Grandpa cheer at the pie? He thought it just scored a touchdown.
- Why did the quarterback love the sweet potatoes? They always made the perfect hand-off.
Leftover jokes
- What did the leftover sandwich say on Friday? “I’m the sequel everyone’s waiting for.”
- Why did the fridge look so proud? It was keeping all the best memories.
- Why did the leftovers throw a party? They wanted a second chance to shine.
- Why did the family nap after dinner? The couch called a time-out.
- What did the plastic container say to the turkey? “Welcome to the after-party.”
Knock-knock jokes
- Knock, knock. Who’s there? Pasta. Pasta who? Pasta potatoes, please!
- Knock, knock. Who’s there? Gravy. Gravy who? Gravy-tate to the table, dinner’s ready!
- Knock, knock. Who’s there? Butter. Butter who? Butter hurry, the pie’s almost gone!
- Knock, knock. Who’s there? Olive. Olive who? Olive Thanksgiving, don’t you?
- Knock, knock. Who’s there? Peas. Peas who? Peas can I have more pie?
For more door-knocking fun, see our knock-knock jokes for kids.
Table games with jokes
- Place-card jokes: write a joke on the back of each place card; guests read theirs aloud before dinner.
- Joke jar: pass a jar of jokes around between courses.
- Thankful and funny: each person shares one thing they’re grateful for and one joke.
- Kids’ table challenge: the kids pick the best joke of the night and award a “golden drumstick” made of paper.
- Riddle round: add a few brain teasers during dessert with our riddles with answers.
Keep it inclusive
Thanksgiving tables often mix generations, backgrounds and diets. Stick to jokes about food, football and family fun, and skip anything that pokes at someone’s cooking, politics or plate. For a gentler kind of laugh, our dad jokes and food jokes keep things light, and Christmas jokes for kids are ready for the next holiday.
Frequently asked questions
What are good Thanksgiving jokes for kids?
Short food jokes work best, such as “Why did the green beans feel left out? Everyone kept passing them by.”
When is Thanksgiving?
In the United States, Thanksgiving is on the fourth Thursday of November. In Canada, it’s on the second Monday of October.
How can I use jokes at Thanksgiving dinner?
Write them on place cards, pass around a joke jar between courses or let the kids’ table pick the best joke of the night.
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