Thanksgiving Giveaways: An Overview
Dating back to the manufacturing boom, giving away gifts and turkeys at Thanksgiving was a common practice for employers.
Back then, they weren’t called Thanksgiving giveaways, but that tradition has inspired the Thanksgiving giveaways we know today.
In this guide, we cover everything there is to know about Thanksgiving giveaways, including why America’s oldest tradition went viral.
We have listed several places to enter Thanksgiving giveaways in 2024. We hope to inspire you with something new! Keep reading to find out more.
Who Started Thanksgiving Giveaways?
Thanksgiving giveaways started many generations ago but differ from the giveaways we know today. Here’s what Wikipedia has to say about the Thanksgiving tradition.
The tradition of giving away turkeys at Thanksgiving was a gesture of gratitude. Associated with the manufacturing boom of the 1800s, giving away turkeys to employees and migrant workers was a way to welcome them to the American culture.
Nowadays, Thanksgiving giveaways are experiencing a revamp. This traditional event has undergone visible changes, although it hasn’t lost the meaning behind Thanksgiving.
You may be one of the lucky employees who still gets a free turkey from your boss as a gesture of appreciation.
In recent years, individuals and businesses alike have adopted this tradition. Each will have its reasons, but it largely comes down to marketing, PR, and building strong relationships.
What are Thanksgiving Giveaways?
Free Thanksgiving giveaways these days are highly sought after by consumers like us. They are a way for businesses to give back to their customers. Customers get the unique opportunity to enter giveaways for unique prizes.
During Thanksgiving, businesses hold themed giveaways suited to the tradition. Promotions include free turkeys, free Thanksgiving meals, and discounts associated with the event being offered.
Giving away a turkey for Thanksgiving is a traditional giveaway item and gift, plus it’s practical. The turkey is a symbol rich in meaning and inexpensive for businesses and individuals to give away.
How Can One Get a Free Turkey for Thanksgiving?
From our personal experiences, we’ve compiled the best places to find and enter Thanksgiving giveaways. Some of them are provided in the list below:
1. Groceries Stores
There are thousands of grocery stores holding turkey giveaways for Thanksgiving. The requirements for each one will be different.
You usually have to unlock your ability to win the free turkey, such as spending at the store to get your free item. Technically, it’s still a giveaway turkey because you take home a free item!
If you want to see other places you can find free turkeys this year, head over to our Free Turkey Giveaways Guide.
2. Charitable Organizations
If you’re struggling to make ends meet financially this Thanksgiving, you will find many charities giving away turkeys. It might be news to you – but this is one way to get a free turkey.
This is particularly tailored for low-income families. It is one special way that organizations thank their community and show that they care.
Charities, food banks, and pantries help others by giving away free holiday food; this includes Thanksgiving. You can find out if your local charities and food banks are holding turkey giveaways.
Bonus Tip: Check Feeding America here to learn about free Thanksgiving food and where your local food bank is.
3. Reward Sites
Let’s get even more creative. Have you ever considered signing up to reward sites? You could get a free turkey this Thanksgiving while earning easy money.
For example, the reward apps Swagbucks and QuickRewards let you earn points and cash by doing simple tasks such as browsing the net, playing games, and shopping online.
Your earnings from those tasks can go to your PayPal account or be exchanged for gift cards to big retailers like Walmart.
If you consider that the required tasks are daily activities most of us do for free, reward sites make it easy to save money and essentially get gift cards for free.
Bonus Tip: If you love gift card giveaways, check out our Amazon giveaways guide here.
4. Online Giveaways
From social media to third-party and independent shops online, many Thanksgiving giveaways are hosted online.
Third-party sites such as Discord, Gleam, Rafflecopter, or some Reddit forums will list many of the Thanksgiving giveaways you desire all in one place.
Social media will also have tons of Thanksgiving and turkey giveaways to enter. Check out Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook to find them.
Use the search terms “Thanksgiving free giveaway, free Thanksgiving giveaways, free turkey giveaway, turkey giveaway 2024” in the search bar. Use those as hashtags to find them!
5. Giveaway Listing
The steps above are as varied as they are inventive. From unmissable giveaways to saving money while spending and charitable acts of kindness, there are some genius ways to guarantee you a free turkey this year.
Check out our giveaway listing feed, constantly updated to bring you the best Thanksgiving giveaways.
We have been offering extensive lists of free giveaways for over 10 years. We’ve recently increased our offering to bring you more of the best giveaways as they happen.
We share guides for entering giveaways and help you hold your giveaways if that’s what you’re looking for. We’ve got five more ideas for you.
Thanksgiving Gifts and Promotions
If this article inspires you to help others this Thanksgiving, you’re not alone. We have some more genius ideas for you!
If you’re a small business owner hoping to hold a Thanksgiving giveaway, you might need ideas to promote the event and boost your reach. Or maybe you want to do something nice for your friends and community.
We’ve compiled a list that can be applied to you all to promote Thanksgiving and the art of giving this year.
Here are 5 ideas to get you started.
1. Community Support
The holiday season is the perfect time to give back to your local community. One effective way to do that is to volunteer at a charitable organization such as a food bank or a kitchen serving food for the homeless.
This can make for a great team volunteer day if you have employees. You can model your values to your customers and employees by showing them you care about supporting your local community.
Whether you’re doing this for yourself or as part of your business strategy, you might choose to take a photo and then share it on your social media channels. That’s one way to promote the meaning behind Thanksgiving.
2. Thanksgiving Giveaway
Holding a Thanksgiving giveaway as a business can help you reach your target audience. Sometimes, it may just get those looking for a freebie. Overall, you will gain more followers and, hopefully, more customers.
Consider hosting a Thanksgiving dinner for your employees or community or giving out grocery store discounts to your customers.
If you’re doing this as an individual, you might want to use the same idea for your local community, neighbors, and friends. Holidays can be expensive and lonely for some. Anything free and community-oriented at this time of year is usually welcomed with open arms.
Here’s what CNN says about holding a festive yet frugal Thanksgiving dinner.
3. Give Thanks (and Gifts)
If you’re a small business selling products, why not market your products to the season and encourage giving gifts at this time of year? You can do that while holding a gift giveaway!
You could be selling food, clothes, or even a service. Whatever you sell, give your gift giveaway a Thanksgiving theme. Then, all that’s left is to promote this on your social media accounts and email your customers.
Get creative for your employees – you may want to hold a “secret Thanksgiving” instead of a Secret Santa. And if you’re doing this as an individual – you can give Thanksgiving-themed gifts to your community, family, and friends.
4. Thanksgiving Message
As a small business, you’ll know how beneficial having a good relationship with your customers is. You could send a Thanksgiving-themed message to all your appreciated customers and clients this time of year.
You could also use this opportunity to wish your customers a happy holiday while reminding them of the deals you have coming up online and in-store. Most loyal customers will be glad to hear about these reminders.
You can add a “call to action” in the email or another message. You can also let your customers know where they can find these products and host a virtual event.
As an individual sending Thanksgiving messages, take this time to check in with people you care about—your friends, family, and others.
5. Donations
Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks. This makes it the best time to donate to a charity of choice or host a charitable event. You could collaborate with a local charity or host a fundraising event as a business.
You may prefer to donate a percentage of your sales to the charity of your choice. Most marketing ideas revolve around more sales, but this is about brand recognition and connecting with potential new customers.
This goes for individuals wanting to give back this season, too – this is a perfect time to show you care about the charitable organizations you love.
What Do You Give Away for Thanksgiving?
Whether you’re a business or giving away gifts to your community and friends, here are some more giveaway ideas. There are also ways you can get involved in helping out others this holiday season.
- Thanksgiving prizes or gifts (this could be anything with an autumnal feel)
- Thanksgiving-themed decorations (color: orange)
- Surprise neighbors with home-cooked food (always welcome)
- Donate food to others (include options for everyone)
- Handout Thanksgiving packages to homeless people (include practical items)
- Host a Thanksgiving giveaway at home (encourage everyone to bring a gift)
- Volunteer at a local food pantry or food bank (take your food surplus)
- Donate to your local food bank (give away money donations)
Thanksgiving Giveaways at Walmart
Is Walmart giving away Thanksgiving dinners? This is the question on so many people’s lips. The answer is yes: Walmart is giving away Thanksgiving dinners.
They’ve collaborated with Ibotta to bring you free turkey giveaways and a Thanksgiving promotion. This collaboration has already been a tremendous success, attracting thousands of entrants, and will likely become a recurring event.
How to Get Free Thanksgiving Turkey at Walmart
Walmart has partnered with Ibotta for two years to offer free Thanksgiving meals. The process is the same as getting a free turkey from Ibotta.
Some of the cash-back offers include
- Frozen whole turkey: $15 cash back
- Idahoan Family Size Mashed Potatoes: $1.88 cash back
- McCormick Gravy Packet: $1.12 cash back
To apply, your cart must be over $20, and redemption must be made within 7 days of purchase.
How Do I Get My Free Turkey From Ibotta?
The best things in life are free! You can get a free Thanksgiving dinner if you’re signed up for Ibotta. That’s 100% cash back on the turkey centerpiece and the trimmings.
The Ibotta Free Thanksgiving Dinner Offer is open only to residents of the United States and those in the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, eighteen years and older.
To participate, customers must “Click to unlock the Offer” on the app or website and purchase any of Walmart’s ten “Qualified Products.” These include a Turkey or Turkey Roast, McCormick Gravy Packet, and Idahoan Mashed Potatoes.
After that, you must scan your receipt showing the Qualified Products if purchased in-store or link your online grocery account.
The products don’t need to be purchased simultaneously, so they don’t need to appear on one receipt. You may also purchase any combination of the products.
Thanksgiving Giveaways: Final Thoughts
Thanksgiving is a tradition many people will not be without. As you’ve just found out, there are more Thanksgiving-themed giveaways than ever.
From its inception in years past until today, Thanksgiving giving has moved from work offices to grocery stores and charity events. It’s now one of the most popular annual events at retail stores in the USA.
So, there are numerous ways to enter a Thanksgiving giveaway this year. If you follow our guide above, you will indeed find free turkey giveaways!
Follow our website, GiveawayListing, for more free turkey and free-themed Thanksgiving giveaways. And don’t forget to read our other article for more news on the best turkey giveaway.
From everyone at Giveaway Listing, we wish you a happy Thanksgiving!
Free Thanksgiving Turkeys FAQs
Here are answers to some of the frequently asked questions about free Thanksgiving turkeys
Where Can I Get Free Thanksgiving Turkey this Year?
If you’re hunting for a free turkey this year, we understand that the choices are vast. You can find free turkeys from grocery stores like Shop Rite, Giant, Foodtown, Walmart and Ibotta, and Weis Market.
Who is Giving Away Turkeys for Thanksgiving?
In addition to free turkeys from certain grocery stores, you might choose to get a free turkey from a local food bank instead of entering a classic giveaway.
This is one way to guarantee a free turkey this Thanksgiving, especially suited to families needing extra help this year.
You can get these free turkeys at local food banks, Charities, United Way 211, Meals on Wheels (for 60+ years), Local hostels and shelters, Churches,, and religious groups.
You can also search “food pantries near me” online to find a physical pantry near you.