Thanksgiving Giveaway Ideas to Engage Your Customers

Thanksgiving is an important point in the calendar.

People come together, share food, and take a moment to reflect.

For businesses, it is less about discounts and more about showing appreciation.

A giveaway is a simple way to do that while keeping your brand visible ahead of Black Friday, but it also gives you an easy way to collect content, drive interaction, and stay part of the conversation during a crowded season.

Thanksgiving has a different tone from other holidays.

Customers are not looking for the biggest discount, they respond to campaigns that reflect community and recognition.

A giveaway at this time of year can:

• Thank your audience with a clear gesture
• Tap into familiar themes of food, family, and tradition
• Encourage people to share their own content
• Keep your brand top of mind going into Black Friday

The strongest prizes are seasonal and practical, but they also need to feel relevant to your audience.

A reward that connects with the way people actually spend Thanksgiving will perform better than a generic item.

Think about what makes the holiday easier, more enjoyable, or more memorable, and build your prize list around that.

• Dinner kits with turkey or plant-based options
• Gourmet pies or bakery vouchers
• Cookware such as roasting pans or casserole dishes
• Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate bundles
• Local food baskets or hampers

• Throws, candles, or autumn-inspired décor
• Tableware or serving sets
• Subscription boxes for wine, snacks, or meal kits
• DIY craft kits for families

• Streaming subscriptions for film nights
• Online cooking classes or workshops
• Audiobook credits or Kindle gift cards
• Online retailer vouchers

The format you choose shapes how people take part.

Thanksgiving suits simple, personal contests that make it easy for customers to get involved, but the right choice depends on your goal.

Some formats are better for creating content, others are built for reach, and a few focus on direct engagement.

Here are three reliable approaches that cover each angle:

These formats encourage content that feels authentic and easy to reshare, but they also work because they tie directly into the themes of food, family, and tradition that people are already posting about during Thanksgiving.

By framing your giveaway around what your audience is naturally sharing, you make it easy for them to take part while collecting content you can use again.

Ask participants to post a photo of their Thanksgiving table, favourite dish, or recipe with a branded hashtag.

This gives you a stream of user content that can be reused across channels.

Ask your audience to comment or post about what they are thankful for.

Highlight selected responses in a social story, email, or website feature.

Invite people to share a tradition such as a recipe, a football game, volunteering, or a family ritual.

Entries can be photos, short videos, or comments.

These ideas add variety and keep entries quick and engaging, but they also give participants a chance to show personality and creativity.

Whether it’s reimagining a classic recipe or building a playful holiday combo, formats in this category create light, shareable content that stands out during a busy season.

Ask participants to put their own spin on a Thanksgiving classic, then share it with a branded hashtag.

The most creative entries can be highlighted in a gallery, post, or email.

Ask people to build their ideal combo, for example a dish, a drink, and one of your products, and submit it as a comment.

Winners receive the full bundle.

Run short quizzes or polls with instant-win prizes such as coffee vouchers or grocery gift cards.

This format works well on social platforms where fast interaction is key.

Referral contests are effective when you want to extend reach and collect more entries, but they also reinforce the social side of Thanksgiving by encouraging people to bring friends and family into the campaign.

This format works well if your main goal is growth, giving you new leads while keeping the holiday theme of togetherness.

Give participants extra entries when they share your giveaway and bring in a friend.
It is a simple way to tie growth to the idea of togetherness.

Thanksgiving giveaways do not need to be complicated.
By using prizes that fit the season and formats that encourage quick engagement, you can thank your customers and stay visible at the right time.

With Gleam, you can run these campaigns easily, track results, and focus on building loyalty as you move into the busiest part of the year.