57 Iconic Thanksgiving Quotes in Beloved Holiday Movies and Shows
We can’t get enough of these heartwarming on-screen moments that remind us to be grateful—on Thanksgiving, and all year long.
Thanksgiving isn’t complete without a joyful spread of favorites among a beautifully decorated table packed with family and friends. But among all the holiday travel and family activities, ending up splayed on the couch to laugh, cry, or simply reminisce over a beloved holiday film is key. Thanksgiving marks the kickoff of the holiday season, after all, and is a day that is marked by humor, mishaps, and more than anything else, a ton of love. And often that starts with expressing our love for others in our own special way on Thanksgiving. What’s a better way to set the mood than sharing a moment from a beloved holiday film?
Capturing the spirit of Thanksgiving is easier when you think about some of the most iconic plot developments and character relationships we’ve seen in film and television over the years. This list, a cornucopia of hilarious and all-too-sentimental moments that depict this holiday, features some of the most relatable lines centered around Thanksgiving. These quotes embody the hectic yet beloved nature of a packed kitchen, dinners with family members you haven’t seen all year—as well as heartbreak and yearning for those who may not show.
Preparing for Thanksgiving can feel like a feat; working to dress your hosting space for a big crowd is important, as is sprucing up entryways with welcoming elements like a bountiful wreath. But more often than not, the real work is done socially, making all guests feel welcome—and imparting upon them a true sense of gratitude. To help you dish out a serving of holiday spirit, here are 57 of our favorite quotes and moments from holiday movies and TV shows that anyone will love this Thanksgiving.
“A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving”
“We should just be thankful for being together. I think that’s what they mean by Thanksgiving, Charlie Brown.” —Marcie
“Friends”
“You can’t have Thanksgiving without turkey. That’s like the Fourth of July without apple pie or Friday with no two pizzas.” —Joey Tribbiani
“Seinfeld”
“My father was a stern man. He forbade us to participate in any activities that he thought were associated with the common man.... The Thanksgiving Day Parade was first on the list.” —Elaine Benes
“Garfield’s Thanksgiving”
“Tomorrow’s Thanksgiving. That’s the day people celebrate with food by eating as much of it as possible.” —Garfield
“Saturday Night Live”
“Turkey for me, turkey for you. Let’s eat the turkey in my big brown shoe.” —Adam Sandler, “The Thanksgiving Song”
“One True Thing”
“Thank you for the world so sweet. Thank you for the food we eat. Thank you for the birds that sing. Thank you, God, for everything.” —Meryl Streep as Kate Gulden
“Modern Family”
![modern family star phil holding a turkey](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/three-turkeys-phil-is-cooking-thanksgiving-dinner-this-year-news-photo-1700233309.jpg?crop=0.66533xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "ABC's "Modern Family" - Season Six")
Jay: “Hey, this could be our new Thanksgiving tradition.”
Gloria: “What, hiding from our own family?”
Jay: “No, just taking a break from each other. God knows I couldn’t love them more, but the Kennedys didn’t get together as much as this family.”
“Gossip Girl”
“What is Thanksgiving without a side of drama? And pie. Apple or pumpkin?” —Blair Waldorf
“The Object of My Affection”
Rodney Fraser: “Have you noticed that you’re the only practicing heterosexual at your Thanksgiving dinner?”
Nina Borowski: “I haven’t practiced for a while.”
“Gossip Girl”
“Another Thanksgiving has come and gone. And what am I most thankful for? The truth.” —Gossip Girl narrator
“Friends”
“Don’t you put words in people’s mouths—you put turkey in people’s mouths!” —Joey Tribbiani
“Roseanne”
“Here I am, 5 o’clock in the morning, stuffing bread crumbs up a dead bird’s butt.” —Roseanne
“That ’70s Show”
“Hey, turkey boy, wanna show me your giblets?” —Kitty Forman
“Saturday Night Live“
“Yes, and this is gonna prove once and for all that we do not make up our songs, Seth. So get ready to enjoy ‘Pilgrims Are Always Friendly Unless They’re Pushed to Their Limit Because There’s Not One Pilgrim Who’s Gonna Be Mad Forever, Right?’” —Kat and Garth and their new backup singer, Jan Pockabook
“Rocky”
Adrian: “But it was Thanksgiving.”
Rocky: “It was what?”
Adrian: “It was Thanksgiving.”
Rocky: “Yeah, to you, but to me, it’s Thursday, right?”
“Sweet November”
“November is all I know and all I ever want to know.” —Nelson Moss
“Everybody Loves Raymond”
“We have to invite your parents. It’s like when the Russians boycotted the Olympics. It diminished the whole event.” —Debra Barone
“Paul Blart: Mall Cop”
“Safety never takes a holiday.” —Paul Blart
“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”
![the cast of its always sunny in philadelphia](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/actors-rob-mcelhenney-glenn-howerton-kaitlin-olson-danny-news-photo-1599847399.jpg?crop=0.733xw:1.00xh;0.146xw,0&resize=980:* "A Day On Set With "Its Always Sunny In Philadelphia"")
“What is that? What am I supposed to be thankful for, exactly? Who am I meant to be thanking, right? I’ve had to scratch and claw for everything I’ve got. If anything, I should be thanking myself.” —Dennis
“The Oath”
Eleanor: “Christopher, we said we’re not talking politics.”
Chris: “I’m not going to ruin Thanksgiving, I promise. Rest assured.”
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