Thanksgiving in Lake Country

Do you celebrate Thanksgiving in Lake Country? Do you travel for the holiday? Do you spend the day with family or friends? Friendsgiving, anyone? Do you spend the turkey day giving back to those in need? Do you zoom with family that lives far away? There are many ways to celebrate a reason to give back and be thankful for what we have and with whom we surround ourselves. Plus, new traditions are always welcome!

If you celebrate Thanksgiving locally to Waukesha County, enjoy the round-up we put together below to take a bit of stress out of your holiday. Our guide includes:

– Where to buy a turkey locally
– Thanksgiving take out options
– Thanksgiving Restaurant options
– What’s open/closed on Thanksgiving
– Gratitude Scavenger Hunt
– Shop Small Guide to Lake Country
– More

*This post contains affiliate links from Amazon. Lake Country Family Fun is an Amazon associate and earns from qualifying purchases.

PLEASE GIVE A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR THANKSGIVING IN LAKE COUNTRY SPONSOR: The Smiley Barn in Delafield

Finding the perfect holiday gift is easy at The Smiley Barn. We’re full to the rafters with unique toys and candy— perfect for the people on your “Nice List.” We are your go-to store for engaging board games, colorful puzzles, and limitless creative possibilities with timeless LEGO ® sets. Indulge in a selection of new and retro candies and experience the largest Playmobil showroom in the country!

Our team is ready to help you find just what you need to out-do Santa! Be sure to mark your calendars; The Smiley Barn’s “Letters to Santa” Mailbox will be eagerly awaiting your mail from November 10 to December 24, 2023.Follow us on Facebook to stay informed about our upcoming events.Nothing brightens your day more than a trip to the Smiley Barn!
2420 Milwaukee Street | Delafield, WI 53018

Tuesday – Saturday: 10:00am – 6:30pmSunday – Monday: 10:00am – 5:00pm

https://www.thesmileybarn.com

Preparing your Family for Thanksgiving

3 Thanksgiving activities to teach your children gratitude from Jann at Speechworks.

15 recommended places/ideas/events to give back with your kids in our HOLIDAY VOLUNTEER GUIDE

Learning about the history of Thanksgiving with children’s books from the library.

Where to find a Turkey/Thanksgiving Meal/Pie

To Cook Your Own Turkey Meal

Stone Bank Farm Market
- Order a local, loved, organically fed, and free-to-roam turkey HERE.
- Rolls and pies also available for purchase
- Turkeys arrive 11/12/23
Good Harvest Market Waukesha
- Pre order Turkey, sides and dessert HERE
Local grocery store delivery and curbside pickup options HERE.

Catered/Take Out Thanksgiving Meals and Desserts

Sendiks – with 5 locations in Waukesha County
- Gran-n-Go Turkey & Gravy Meals or
- Full Thanksgiving Meal Menu HERE.
- Order online or pick up in store
- Order HERE

Bryant’s on the Round
- Offering a Thanksgiving menu for pick-up.
- View menu and ordering details HERE.
Wisconsin Brewing Company/Dockhounds Stadium
- Order by Wednesday, November 8, 2023
- Order for 4 or 8 people
- Menu viewable by clicking the link above
- Pick up between 4-6 pm on November 22.

Golden Mast Okauchee
- View menu HERE
- Order curbside pickup meal HERE
- Order by Tuesday, 11/21/23 at 4pm and pickup Thanksgiving Day 10am-12pm.

Cornerstone in Genesee Depot Ala Carte To Go Menu
- Order a complete turkey dinner or individual items from the Thanksgiving Menu here

Brick House Mercantile
- Savory – Sweet – Soup – Rolls
- Sides, wines, and desserts available for 2023 Thanksgiving carry-out.
- Check their website for order options and details.

Fresh Baked – Oconomowoc
- Place orders by November 20th at 12pm, pick up orders on Thanksgiving Day by 10am Find Details HERE

I.d. Delafield
- You cook the bird, I.D will handle the sides!
- Order your sides by 9 p.m. on Monday, November 20 and they’ll be ready for pick up between 3 – 7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 22nd.
- See the menu HERE.
- Call 262-646-1620 to order

Boondocks BBQ and Brew Stone Bank
- Smoked turkeys – order ahead, pick up Thanksgiving Day
- See the full menu HERE
- Call 262-470-5123 to place your order.

Chef in Da House Lake Country
- Offering Thanksgiving Turkeys and sides! Details HERE

Saz’s Hospitality Group Lake Country
- Thanksgiving meal
- All items fully cooked and packed cold in disposable containers with
  reheating instructions
- Al a cate items available
- All Thanksgiving pick-up meals and A La Carte orders must be placed by November 17, 2023 at 3pm
- Pick up in Walker Point or at Western Lakes Golf on either
  - Wednesday, November 22: 9am – 7pm
  - Thursday, November 23: 9am – 12pm
- See full menu and order HERE

Goddess and the Baker Brookfield
- View Menu and order yummy Thankgiving pies & pastries HERE.

Bravo! Italian Kitchen Brookfield
- Pre order your traditional Thanksgiving Meal hot or cold HERE

Cafe Manna Brookfield
- Carry out Thanksgiving meal menu HERE
- Vegan and Gluten Free options available
- Call 262-790-2340 to place your order

Cooper’s Hawk Brookfield
- Meal serves 6
- Members receive 10% off your Thanksgiving meal order.
- Menu HERE
- Call to order 262-785-9463

Whole Foods Market Wauwatosa and Milwaukee
- Full meals serving a variety of number of people
- Order HERE

Sentry Delafield
- View the menu and order your whole Thanksgiving meal HERE
- Order in advance
- Lake Country mom, Jamie L. relayed that she has used Sentry in Delafield for years to cater her family’s Thanksgiving meal, and it has been slick and easy to schedule and delicious to eat!

Boozhag Clubhouse Nashotah
- Offering Dine in or Take out
- RESERVE your Thanksgiving Dinner Dine-In or To-Go by 11/16/23 at: 262.367.6684
- See Menu and more information HERE

Mountain Top Coffee
- Pre-ordering on our pies starts now and goes till November 19 or till pies sell out. Pick up of pies will be on Wednesday, November 22, 2023, from 6 am-3 pm.
- Order your pies HERE
Schwans
- Schwans has a roasted turkey and mashed potato dinner for Thanksgiving or anytime!
- Order HERE.
- You can choose your Sides and Desserts separately to have delivered by Schwans! Check out tons of options for dishes HERE.

Restaurants that Serve Thanksgiving Meals

View our Guide to Waukesha County Restaurants HERE.

Overindulge at Thanksgiving?

Step 1

If you overindulged in a Thanksgiving meal or dessert, step 1 is:

Don’t feel guilty. Grant yourself Grace.

Did you have a great day with your family or friends (virtually or in person)?
Did you laugh a lot?
Did you spend time reflecting on your blessings?
Did you practice gratitude?
Did you give back to the community?
Did you spend time reading with your kids about the history of the first Thanksgiving?
Did you have a “shop small’ meal, supporting the small businesses in our communities?

If you answered YES to any one of those questions, YAY!! Thank you!!

Focus on the good parts of your day. ❤️

Now, if you did overindulge, and there’s an actionable step you would like to take, then tap these next toggles. BUT ONLY AFTER you are guilt-free and have granted yourself grace. ❤️

Ideas to Work Out

Find lots of ideas for places to work out in our Waukesha County Fitness Guide.

Are you an EXPECTING & EMPOWERED mama? This is a Comprehensive Pregnancy Workout Guide (business run by two Wisconsin women), for expecting and postpartum moms to be done in the convenience of your own home.

The City of Waukesha

Earn that turkey and stuffing on Thanksgiving Day by participating in the Thanksgiving Charity Boot Camp! Just bring 5 or more non-perishable food items as a donation for your workout. Thursday, November 23 from 8am-9am (doors open at 7:45am) at the Schuetze Recreation. Center

Get Outside

Get outside and breathe in the fresh air. Being outside and in nature is one of the best antidotes to feeling any negative feeling. The wind, the landscape, all reminders of a bigger picture and community in which we are a part.

Go cut down a Christmas Tree. Find a farm here in SE Wisconsin.
Skim our Ultimate Guide to a Lake Country Fall for 10 ideas for enjoying the outdoors with your family.
The Kelly Johnson Foundation is hosting its 6th annual Turkey Trot 5K on Saturday, November 25, 2023 at 8:00 a.m. at Fox Brook Park, 2925 N Barker Rd in Brookfield.
Try out one of these 3 local trails
- Bugline Trail
- Glacial Drumlin State Trail
- Kettle Moraine State Forest – Lapham Peak Unit
Walk around the German Christmas Market

The Milwaukee County Parks invites you and your family to enjoy their amenities:

With the holiday right around the corner, and folks looking for things to do with the extra time off, the Milwaukee County Parks has some great activities available. The return of glow skating as well as indoor skating at Wilson Ice Arena, outdoor hiking at Wehr Nature Center, and indoor swimming at Noyes and Pulaski Pools await!

Glow skating has always been a popular activity at Wilson Ice Arena, and we are excited to bring it back for all to enjoy. The cost is $7.50, and the hours of operation are 8pm-10pm, on Friday, November 24th. Public skate opens at 12pm Monday through Friday and opens at 2:30pm Saturday. For more information, please head 👉 here

Indoor swimming is back at Noyes and Pulaski Pool! Stop by at either location for a great swim with family and friends.

For more information about Noyes Pool head 👉 here

For more info about Pulaski Pool head 👉 here

Hiking is always a blast at Wehr Nature Center. The Visitor Center is open from 8:30am – 4:30pm and trails are open from sunrise to sunset each day. For a $5.00 parking fee, take in the sights and sounds of this beautiful Nature Center. For more information on hiking at Wehr Nature Center head 👉 here

“Our Milwaukee County Parks are full of activity, programming, and fun during the entire year, especially during the winter months,” said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. “I am excited for Milwaukee County families, children, residents, and visitors to take full advantage of everything our parks have to offer this holiday season.”

Guy Smith, Executive Director at Milwaukee County Parks, added, “No matter the time of year, there’s always something to do in the parks. Especially over the holiday break! Enjoy glow skating, indoor pools, hiking at Wehr, and open gym at the Sports Complex this break.”

Play Inside

Get out those cardboard boxes and create. Then play with the creation.

Find an indoor play place to burn energy.

Try one of these 10 indoor play ideas for at home.

Burn some energy at Urban Air!

What to watch on TV on Thanksgiving

If your family has a tradition of watching television on Thanksgiving, make note of these highlights:

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be on NBC.
- Thursday, November 23, 2022
- 8:30 am to noon in all time zones
If football is your jam, find these games:
- Green Bay Packers-Detroit Lions on FOX (11:30 am CST)
- Washington Commanders-Dallas Cowboys on CBS (3:30 p.m. CST)
- San Francisco 49’ers-Seattle Seahawks on NBC (7:20 p.m. CST)
Holiday movies will be on, too! Check our guide here.