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How Celebs Celebrated Thanksgiving This Year, From Furry Friends to Dance Parties

How Celebs Celebrated Thanksgiving This Year, From Furry Friends to Dance Parties

See how Jennifer Aniston, Kerry Washington and more stars are staying festive during this year's downsized celebrations amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic

By Sophie Dodd

Updated November 27, 2020 09:39 AM

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Lizzo

Credit: Lizzo/Instagram

We all know the "Good as Hell' singer is 100% "that b—" — and to prove it, her Thanksgiving dinner is 100% vegan this year! "I'm cookin cookin" she wrote on her Instagram Story, sharing some videos of the ingredients and cooking process.

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Jimmy Fallon

The Tonight Show host gave fans a behind-the-scenes sneak peek at his dance rehearsal before kicking off the 94th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with The Roots. Hitting the streets, they performed Martha and the Vandellas’ "Dancing in the Streets" at the start of this year’s televised-only parade.

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Hugh Jackman

Jackman proved once again that he's The Greatest Showman both on and offscreen with this impromptu tap dance. Not up for a turkey trot? Try imitating this little jig!

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Kerry Washington

The Little Fires Everywhere star led her followers in a virtual yoga session on Instagram Live, starting off their day on a calm note and raising money for the Native American Rights Fund.

"Thankful to all who came to yoga to breathe and sit in our gratitude. I’m thankful to all of you. Every day. For showing me love. I see it. And I give it right back!!!!!" she wrote on Instagram.

"Please keep Native peoples in your thoughts and prayers today and throughout #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth. I will put some resources we spoke about up on my stories!" she added.

"Today is a really complicated holiday for a lot of people, the roots of Thanksgiving are in a lot of revisionist history," she said in the video, encouraging her followers to donate to the organization if they can.

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Tyler Hubbard

The Florida Georgia Line musician and his wife Hayley spent the morning watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with their kids — daughter Olivia Rose, 2½, and sons Luca Reed, 15 months, and Atlas Roy, 9 weeks.

"GRATEFUL for our family and all the chaos in our life right now, among a zillion other things. We got to watch the Thanksgiving day parade for 5 minutes together before kids went haywire and that feels like a victory. Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving wherever and however you’re celebrating this year!🍁 #gratitude #thanksgiving," the mom of 3 wrote on Instagram.

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Jimmy Kimmel

The late night talk show host showed off his "spatchcocked and SMOKED" turkey with a selfie on Instagram while wishing his fans "as happy a thanksgiving as is possible with hopes for more gathering with the ones we live [sic] in 2021."

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Vanessa & Nick Lachey

Credit: Vanessa Lachey/Instagram

The actress put husband Nick Lachey to work in the kitchen, sharing a playful Boomerang on her Instagram Story of him peeling potatoes on Thursday morning. "Make ‘em work ladies!!!" she wrote on the slide. In another post, the mom of three — who shares sons Camden, 8, and Phoenix, 3, and daughter Brooklyn, 5, with Nick — showed off one of her favorite holiday crafts to do with her little ones.

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Busy Philipps

Credit: Busy Philipps/Instagram

The actress and former talk show host rocked out solo in her living room to start off her Thanksgiving, filming the dance party for her Instagram Story.

"Happy Thanksgiving — If you need me I'll be over here sweating and breaking down boxes which is something I think we've all gotten really good at in 2020. Sending you and you [sic] family so much love and hoping you stay safe," the mom of two wrote.

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Elizabeth Banks

Credit: Elizabeth Banks/Instagram

“I do want to say I am thankful for the time I’ve had with my children this year,” the Charlie’s Angels director and mom of two said on her Instagram Story. “And I just want to say to everyone who is missing a family member around your dinner table today, that my heart is with you, I’m thinking of you, bless you and let’s all get to 2021, shall we?”

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Haylie Duff

Credit: Haylie Duff/Instagram

The Real Girl's Kitchen author brought fans along on her Turkey Day meal prep journey, showing the bird before spatchcocking it and later proudly displaying the mouthwatering final product on her Instagram Story.

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Reese Witherspoon

Credit: Reese Witherspoon/Instagram

The Big Little Lies actress started her Thanksgiving by taking a leisurely walk with one of her dogs and baking up a storm, documenting the morning on her Instagram Story. Between the chocolate cookies and marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes, we'd sure like to be in Reese's kitchen right about now!

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Reese Witherspoon

Credit: Reese Witherspoon/Instagram

After baking up a storm, the actress shared the holiday with her family, snapping a photo with husband Jim Toth, sons Deacon Phillippe and Tennessee James Toth, and daughter Ava Phillippe. "

"Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours," Witherspoon captioned the pic.

"Feeling very grateful for all the frontline workers, medical workers and people who are caring for others today," she added. "And I’m deeply grateful for ALL of you! Sending my LOVE. 🥰🦃🍁🥧❤️"

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Amelia Hamlin

Credit: Amelia Gray/Instagram

"Thankful 4 these ppl," Hamlin shared on her Instagram story, alongside a selfie with Scott Disick and another pal.

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Jennifer Aniston

Credit: Jennifer aniston/ instagram

Aniston celebrated her first Thanksgiving with her rescue puppy, Lord Chesterfield. In a trio of snuggly snaps, the actress shows off her fur baby, who she introduced to fans last month.

"We’re grateful 🙏🏼❤️," she captioned the Instagram post.

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Bindi Irwin

Credit: Bindi Irwin/Instagram

The mom-to-be shared on Instagram that she is feeling "beyond thankful" this year!

Irwin captioned a sweet video of her baby girl's ultrasound, "Our beautiful daughter is the light of our lives. 💛 Beyond thankful that she chose us to be her parents. I can’t wait for her to be here next year."

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Allison Holker & Stephen 'tWitch' Boss's Family

"THANKSGIVING 2020! So grateful for my family!! It was a perfect day full of love, good food, laughs and true happiness," Holker shared alongside a family photo.

She added, "I hope you all had an amazing day celebrating your loved ones!!"

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Rebel Wilson

The actress shared a video from "the top of the Alps," where she celebrated Thanksgiving this year.

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Emma Roberts

Credit: Emma Roberts/Instagram

Roberts, who is expecting her first child — a boy — with boyfriend Garrett Hedlund, shared a sweet photo of herself to her Instagram Stories standing in front of a Christmas tree while cradling her baby bump.

"Very thankful. Sending love to everybody today," Roberts wrote.

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Jennifer Lopez & Alex Rodriguez

Credit: Alex Rodriguez/Instagram

Alex Rodriguez was feeling extra thankful this Turkey Day, sharing a photo of his and fiancée Jennifer Lopez's blended family in honor of the holiday.

Rodriguez wrote, "This year, more than ever, #Thanksgiving carries a special meaning for all of us.
Even in the most challenging of times, we need to count our blessings and celebrate what we have. Be thankful for family. Be thankful for friends. Be thankful for the people who make a difference in our lives."

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John Legend

Credit: John Legend/Instagram; Inset: Steve Granitz/WireImage

Legend captioned a photo of wife Chrissy Teigen with their children Luna and Miles, "So so grateful for these three. Happy Thanksgiving!"

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Chrissy Teigen

Teigen, who told PEOPLE that the family would be downsizing their Thanksgiving this year "making it much more about enjoying the time with [family]," posted a photo of her prepping the meal in a gorgeous robe.

"Happy thanksgiving, my loves," the Cravings author wrote. She then shared another snap of the finished spread as well as a video of her and her father cradling her daughter Luna, writing that her household had been tested repeatedly in order for her dad to join for dinner.

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Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos

Credit: kelly ripa/ instagram

Ripa celebrated by posting some throwback photos of Turkey Days past on Instagram. She shared, "#tbt thanksgiving is not like last year, but we’re still grateful that our parents are getting the hang of FaceTime. Sort of. 🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃😂

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Gwyneth Paltrow

Credit: Gwyneth Paltrow/ instagram

The actress spent the day feeling "incredible highs and lows" with "the two loves of [her] life."

"On this November 26th, I was able to visit my fathers resting place (on his birthday) with these two loves of my life," Paltrow shared on Instagram alongside a photo with her children, Apple and Moses.

She concluded,"Happy thanksgiving. Life has incredible highs and lows. Perhaps feeling it all at the same time is the art. 💖"

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Courteney Cox

The Friends star delighted fans everywhere when she reenacted the famous scene from season five, episode eight in which she puts a turkey on her head and dances.

"Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you're having a great day I’m feeling so thankful," Cox said before adding angrily that if she gets one more gif of herself "with a turkey on my head dancing like a f**king fool, I’m just gonna snap."

"Anyway," she continued, "since I'm the symbol of Thanksgiving, here you go. Hope it makes you happy," before putting a turkey on her head and doing a little dance.

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Zooey Deschanel

"Happy Thanksgiving! 🍂 When it comes to food, I mean business," the actress shared on Instagram.

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Justin Theroux

The actor shared a sweet photo with his Thanksgiving dinner date: his dog!

"Happy Thanksgiving," he wrote on Instagram, "We’re doing this one alone so the rest can be with loved ones. Miss you mom. Be there soon. 🖤"

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Nicole Kidman

The The Undoing actress shared on Instagram, "Happy #Thanksgiving! 🦃 Thinking of family and friends with love and gratitude ❤️"

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Hilary Duff & Matthew Koma

The Younger star shared a Thanksgiving selfie with her family in N.Y.C.

"Happy Thanksgiving," Duff wrote on Instagram. "1 or 2 celebrations away from getting out of 2020 🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️"

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Adrienne Bailon

Credit: Adrienne Bailon/Instagram; Inset: Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

The I Can See Your Voice judge shared a glimpse of her Thanksgiving table settings on her Instagram Story, featuring brown leather placemats, plaid napkins and arranged fruits.

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Gigi Hadid

Credit: Gigi Hadid/Instagram; Inset: Taylor Hill/Getty

The new mom gave a peek at her Thanksgiving prep on her Instagram Story, where she shared photos of her baking something — a pie, perhaps? The model also encouraged her followers to "remember that this land was taken from the Indigenous People. Honor them today through acknowledgement and education of that genocide," she wrote in one slide. She went on to ask for recommendations for Native American family companies to support.

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Nikki Bella

Credit: Nikki Bella/Instagram

Bella wrote on Instagram alongside photos from her Thanksgiving with family, "Beyond grateful for the priceless things in life 🤍 2020 has been unexpected to say the least. I couldn’t stop thanking God for the blessings he has given me this year. So thankful for the magical moments, my family, good friends and health. Sending so much love, light and prayers to the ones that didn’t have the holiday they imagined. ✨🙏🏼"

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Brie Bella

Nikki's twin sister shared the same sentiment along with photos from their Thanksgiving celebration, writing on Instagram, "Sooo grateful for family and friends!!! And my friends that are like family so on this special Holiday it feels like home 💛✨🍁"

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Hailey Bieber

Credit: Hailey Baldwin/ instagram

Hailey Bieber wished her followers a Happy Thanksgiving and shared an important milestone with Instagram: She's a "1st time turkey maker!"

And, for the haters out there, she assures us, "No it’s not burnt)!"

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Jenna Bush Hager

Credit: Jenna Bush/instagram

Sharing a family photo taken by her "first love," sister Barbara, the Today anchor revealed that she is "Thankful for the loves of my life" even if their family Thanksgiving was "#missingmany!!"

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Simone Biles

Credit: simone biles/ instagram

The gymnast didn't have to bend over backwards to find something to be grateful for this Thanksgiving.

"What a crazy year it’s been... but there’s so much to be thankful for," she wrote on Instagram.

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Elizabeth Chambers

Credit: Elizabeth Chambers/instagram

Celebrating her first Thanksgiving since her split from Armie Hammer, Elizabeth Chambers spent some quality time with her children, Harper and Ford, in the Cayman Islands.

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Niecy Nash & Jessica Betts

Niecy Nash and wife Jessica Betts celebrated their first Thanksgiving since saying "I do," documenting the occasion for Instagram.

In one clip, Nash films Betts, a singer-songwriter, gifting her with flowers.

"Where you going on Thanksgiving? What are you about to go do?" Nash teased.

"I'm about to go get my wife some flowers," Betts replied.

"Oh really? She thankful for you," Nash said.

"I'm thankful for her," Betts said.

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Cardi B

"Happy Thanksgiving 🦃," the rapper wrote on Instagram alongside photos of her daughter, Kulture Kiari, 2. She added, "Tried my best to take pics of @kulturekiari 🙄"

Cardi B and Kulture celebrated alongside Cardi's husband and Kulture's father, Offset.

The rapper received backlash for hosting a large gathering amid the ongoing pandemic after she posted videos of the celebration on social media, tweeting, "Twelve kids and 25 adults over the holidays. It was lit."

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How Celebs Celebrated Thanksgiving This Year, From Furry Friends to Dance Parties

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Lizzo

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Jimmy Fallon

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Hugh Jackman

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Kerry Washington

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Tyler Hubbard

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Jimmy Kimmel

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Vanessa & Nick Lachey

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Busy Philipps

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Elizabeth Banks

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Haylie Duff

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Reese Witherspoon

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Reese Witherspoon

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Amelia Hamlin

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Jennifer Aniston

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Bindi Irwin

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Allison Holker & Stephen 'tWitch' Boss's Family

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Rebel Wilson

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Emma Roberts

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Jennifer Lopez & Alex Rodriguez

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John Legend

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Chrissy Teigen

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Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos

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Gwyneth Paltrow

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Courteney Cox

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Zooey Deschanel

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Justin Theroux