It's Thanksgiving Day — or “Danksgiving” for those who partake — and you're surrounded by your closest friends and family members. Waves of mouth-watering aromas, from roast turkey and stuffing to mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, emanate from the kitchen, signaling to your stomach that the holiday feast is near.
There's just one last and very important step to help you prepare for the upcoming meal: the fabled Thanksgiving walk.
What is the “Thanksgiving walk?”
You may know the “Thanksgiving walk” by other familiar names, like the “Cousin Walk” or the “Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner Safety Meeting.” Whatever you call it, the time-honored tradition remains the same: you round up all the trusted stoners at your gathering and go out for a quick and innocent walk before dinner.
Photo by: Gina Coleman/WeedmapsImage lightbox
Unbeknownst to everyone else, you're also blazing some sweet sticky-icky to supercharge your appetite.
How to prepare for a Thanksgiving weed walk
While that may sound simple, there are some important things to remember when executing a Thanksgiving walk. Here are a few tips to help yours go off without a hitch.
Know your crew
We all have that one cousin who flies their stoner flag high. Of course, they're in for the Thanksgiving walk. But what about the uncle who showed up to last year's family reunion smelling a little skunky? You don't want to be doing a vibe check amid a Thanksgiving walk, so we suggest locking in your crew ahead of time and ensuring everyone is prepared and aligned on the execution strategy.
Plan your exit + re-entry
The key to a successful Thanksgiving walk is seamlessly exiting and then re-entering the gathering — ideally without anyone noticing that you were gone in the first place. To do this, we recommend selecting a signal, like a hand motion or even a covert group text, so everyone in the crew knows it's time to mobilize. Another good idea is to “conveniently” forget an item in your car and walk out to get it.
We also suggest that everyone takes a different exit out of the room to avoid raising suspicion or attracting uninvited followers. We also use that same approach when everyone returns. Sneaky, sneaky.
Choose your cannabis products
Photo by: Gina Coleman/WeedmapsImage lightbox
While a big fat joint is ideal to pass around a group, it can leave your fingers and clothes smelling quite loud. There are ways to minimize this, like using a glass joint holder, but anyone with an acute sense of smell will still likely pick up some skunky aromas.
Edibles are a great option as long as everyone knows their THC tolerance and perfect dosage. While edibles are more discreet, everyone's body processes them differently, and a family member could have it kick in at a less-than-opportune time.
Using a portable vape pen or even a robust digital dab device like a Puffco or Carta (if there aren't any newbies in the crew) can help your fingers avoid coming in contact with any fragrant cannabis material. It's best not to bring noticeable items, like a huge bong. Remember, you want to be as inconspicuous as possible.
It may be best to designate someone in the crew to hit the dispensary and pick up products for everyone on Green Wednesday to score the best deals.
Pick the right setting or route
Where you go on your walk is an important factor to consider. After all, recent research shows that set and setting can impact your high, similar to psychedelics. This can also influence your exit strategy, giving you a believable excuse for leaving the gathering briefly.
One Weedmaps employee shared their tried-and-true method: “My go-to excuse is to say that we forgot an important ingredient for dessert and we need to make a quick run to the grocery store. We never actually get in the car but take a quick loop around the block on foot. Then, when we return, we regretfully inform people the store was closed.”
This approach can be used in many ways, like saying you forgot something in your car, going on a last-minute beer run, or announcing loudly that you'll grab something from the basement fridge. We suggest staying on foot and in an open space with lots of fresh air, whichever route you pick — you don't want to come back smelling like you've hot-boxed a car.
Cover your tracks
Assuming you've done everything right up to this point, the only thing you need to do now is cover your tracks. This can be accomplished with a vial of eye drops and a soft fragrance, like Febreze, to mask any potential odors. If you want to be extra careful, make your own or purchase a pre-made sploof.
Also, try not to burst into uncontrollable giggles at the dinner table when someone tells a joke, or they may catch on to you and your crew. Easier said than done.
What to do if you're the only one who consumes cannabis
If you find yourself as the black — err … green sheep at a Thanksgiving gathering — don't fret. You have a few options at your disposal.
One option is to go on a solo walk. While this may sound daunting initially, the experience can be quite liberating. According to a Weedmaps staffer and self-identified Thanksgiving walk expert, “Your fate is completely in your hands when you go on a solo walk. It's up to you when you walk, where you walk, and what products you consume along the way. So embrace the freedom and toke to your solo stoner's heart content.”
Photo by: Gina Coleman/WeedmapsImage lightbox
Another option, which can be a little risky, is inviting someone to take their first-ever Thanksgiving walk with you. Of course, you run the risk of that person bursting back into the room and telling everyone how amazing cannabis makes them feel, but then again, maybe it's a message other people at the gathering need to hear.
The most risky option is to sneak off to the nearest powder or bathroom for a quick reprieve. Don't forget to cover the gap at the bottom of the door with a towel. If you want to conceal the smoke, blow it into the toilet, flush, wash your hands with a lot of soap, and spray air freshener. If anyone asks, you can just say you were “making room” instead of smoking weed.
Bottom line
Whatever you call your Thanksgiving walk, it's a tradition that adds to the holiday vibes and helps bring your friends and family closer together. Just follow our pro steps to a highly enjoyable walk, and don't forget to save room for dessert.
