Mom and Dad left you stuck in Boulder for fall break? Not to worry, the CUI won’t let let your week go to waste.

Gather with friends

Throw your own Thanksgiving dinner party. This is a great way to get everyone together so you don’t have to sit in your room watching “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” by yourself. Choose a house that is big enough to hold your group and one that has a kitchen with enough space to move around. Organize a potluck and ask everyone to bring a dish or a bottle of wine (or sparkling cider for all you under-agers) to share. Read this article for some vegan and gluten-free Thanksgiving recipe ideas.

(Courtesy of DHS Foods)

Fill up

If you’re not up for putting together your own Thanksgiving Day feast, there are a few restaurants around town that host Thanksgiving dinners. Hotel Boulderado is holding a Thanksgiving Buffet on Thanksgiving Day between 12 and 4 p.m. The Buffet costs $37.95 for adults and includes a main course and dessert. Q’s Restaurant will be serving a three-course, fixed-price meal from 3 to 8 p.m. You can also pre-order a full three-course Thanksgiving meal to take home from 4580 for $20 a person. Other Boulder restaurants with Thanksgiving specials include The Greenbriar Inn and the Millennium Harvest House Hotel.

Help others

Put those cooking skills and free time to good use by volunteering with one of Boulder’s many non-profit organizations that cook and serve Thanksgiving dinner for the less fortunate. The Source is looking for volunteers to cook and serve dishes, donate cooking utensils or decorations and help with set up and clean up for their annual Thanksgiving dinner for homeless youth in Boulder.

Veg out

On the other hand, maybe you feel like taking full advantage of this class-free week by relaxing on the couch. This is the perfect time to break out your favorite holiday movies. Check out this list of the “Top 10 Thanksgiving Movies” like the classic “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” with Steve Martin and John Candy and “Home Alone.” If you’re more of a reader, visit the library and get caught up on that long reading list you’ve been putting off since summer. Find more ideas for current reads on The New York Times Best Sellers list. Then, of course, there’s always football and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!

Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Natalie Proulx at natalie.proulx@colorado.edu.