Your Guide to Creating Thanksgiving Content

 

Thanksgiving is more than cozy visuals and golden-hour lighting — it’s about capturing a special atmosphere and feeling. From the laughter of family dinners to the quiet calm of autumn mornings, the right soundtrack transforms simple footage into a captivating story for your audience.

For creators, Thanksgiving offers the perfect opportunity to create authentic content that strengthens the connection with your audience. Whether you’re filming a holiday season vlog, a recipe reel, or a cinematic recap of your holiday weekend, soundtracking your Thanksgiving content thoughtfully can make all the difference - subtly guiding your viewers through the day. Read on to discover how to create your best Thanksgiving video yet.

 

Ways to Capture Thanksgiving on Video

• Thanksgiving offers endless opportunities for creators. Whether you’re a lifestyle vlogger, filmmaker, or social media storyteller, here are some trending Thanksgiving video ideas for 2025 that pair beautifully with a great soundtrack:

• Family & Friends Vlogs: Capture the warmth of togetherness. Perfect for soft acoustic tracks or gentle lo-fi instrumentals.

• Recipe & Cooking Videos: Food is the hero — pair with upbeat folk, jazz, or cozy coffeehouse music to match the energy of the kitchen.

• Aesthetic Autumn Routines: Think candlelight, pumpkin spice, and slow-living vibes. Lo-fi beats, piano melodies, and ambient textures shine here.

• Thanksgiving Day Recaps: Document the highlights of your day with cinematic, uplifting tracks that build emotion and nostalgia.

 

Thanksgiving Content Trends for 2025

This year, authenticity is one of the main trends driving Thanksgiving content. Viewers are drawn to genuine storytelling over highly polished perfection. Think handheld footage, unscripted laughter, and moments that happen naturally. Remember, your videos don’t have to be short - creating long-form content can be a great way to connect with your audience. But above all, it’s the natural tone and fitting music that keeps people watching.

 

How to Create Thanksgiving Content

1. Match the Mood

Your Thanksgiving vlog will naturally move through a range of emotions — from pre-meal excitement, post-meal gratitude, to end-of-day reflection. The soundtrack should follow that same rhythm, guiding the audience through each shift in tone.

• Prep and Cooking Scenes: Use light, instrumental beats to capture anticipation and soundtrack movement.

• Gathering Moments: Overlay mid-tempo folk, lo-fi, or jazz instrumentals to add warmth without overpowering dialogue.

• Quiet Reflections: Incorporating minimal piano paired with a quiet scene helps create a calm ambience.

• Evening Scenes: Try gentle beats such as soft percussion to help peacefully wind down your video.

• Hot tip: If your video moves between scenes (for example, from a bustling kitchen to a quiet evening), use clear transitions in your music choices to guide that emotional shift.

 

2. Think in Scenes, Not Songs

Instead of trying to find one track or style that carries your entire vlog, approach your edit like a series of short stories. Each scene deserves its own mood and sound. For example, start with a calm introduction that sets the tone for the rest of the video. As your narrative develops, you could start overlaying more upbeat music to keep viewers engaged, while contrasting this with softer, thoughtful music for moments of gratitude. Close with something warm and reflective, to help create a fulfilling ending.

This structure gives your vlog natural pacing and flow!

 

3. Visual Tips for Your Thanksgiving

Vlog Music and visuals work hand in hand. To get the most out of your soundtrack, consider:

• Lighting: Warm, natural tones complement those cozy, autumn vibes.
• Color Grading: Golden, amber hues reinforce the nostalgic Thanksgiving feel, and are typically associated with autumn-time.
• Editing Rhythm: Cut clips in sync with the beat of your soundtrack for professional flow.
• B-Roll: Layer sound with quiet visuals — steam rising from a pie, leaves falling, table settings. These details build immersion and depth.
• Audio Balance: Keep your background music subtle under dialogue so emotion, not volume, leads the viewer.

 

Make Sure to Use Licensed or Royalty-Free Music

Platforms like YouTube and TikTok are quick to flag copyrighted songs. Even playing just a few seconds of a copyrighted song can risk de-monetization of your entire video forever, so it’s crucial to make sure the songs you use are cleared for use.

If you’re looking for the perfect soundtrack to enhance those magic moments, browse Universal Music for Creators’ vast library of high-quality tracks, curated for every occasion. Not sure where to start? Press play on our specially-made Thanksgiving playlist to get inspired for your next video.