Between the ham, potatoes, and intrusive questions that come from distant relatives, Thanksgiving isn’t exactly known as the sexiest holiday of the year. Most of the time, people are way too busy eating, digesting, or falling asleep on the couch to think about anything sex-related.
But if your second helping of stuffing makes you feel like you also wouldn’t mind getting stuffed later, sex doesn’t have to be completely off the table. With the right sex position, Thanksgiving sex can be very possible – it just maybe requires a little creativity, minimal effort, and a locked door if you’re staying under the same roof as your parents.
Whether the pumpkin pie surprises you as an aphrodisiac or you find yourself wanting to get off to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade buzz, here are the best Thanksgiving sex positions to try this year. (But no worries if you’re too tired to take off your clothes: sex on Black Friday fortunately hits, too.)
Experts Featured in This Article
Zachary Zane is a sex and relationship expert for #LUBELIFE.
Sarah Tomchesson is a certified sex educator and marketing director at Magic Wand.
Mindy DeSeta, PhD, is a certified sexologist and sexuality educator at dating app Hily.
Josefina Bashout is a tantric sex expert.
The Best Thanksgiving Sex Positions, According to Sex Experts
Spooning Sex Position
Spooning is the ultimate lazy sex position. “It doesn’t require all that much movement – just mild thrusts from the inserting partner – and it’s not like cowgirl where you bounce up and down, which would be the last thing I would want to do after a heavy meal,” sex and relationship expert Zachary Zane says. To get into the spooning sex position, lie side by side with your partner, making sure both of you are facing the same way. (Yes, like how a spoon stacks up with another spoon.)
The Mutual Masturbation
If you’re too full to have sex on Thanksgiving, give mutual masturbation a try. This refers to the act of pleasuring yourself right next to your partner, so it doesn’t require any effort besides whatever you want to do to yourself. “You’re both on your back, so no one is on their stuffed belly. Plus, it’s low energy, high reward,” Zane says.
The Bent-Over Stand
If standing feels like too much work for a Thanksgiving sex position, certified sex educator Sarah Tomchesson recommends the bent-over stand position. “After a big holiday meal, nobody wants to feel squished or pinned under body weight. Bent-over sex keeps both partners upright, supported, and breathing comfortably – no heavy pressure on full bellies,” Tomchesson says. In order to get into the position, stand with your partner. Then, the receiver should bend over on a hard surface (or bed) creating an angle that allows for penetration.
The Classic Oral-Sex Position
. . . or as sexologist Mindy DeSeta, PhD, calls this sex position: the “Grateful Giver.” There’s no better way to show your gratitude for someone than by going down on them. “With you and your partner being completely satiated from the meal or tired from the tryptophan, allow your partner to lie back and relax,” Dr. DeSeta says. “This position is all about gratitude and generosity – take your time, pay attention to their responses, and show them exactly how thankful you are for them.” To get into this position, the receiving partner should simply lie on their back with their legs slightly apart.
The Stuffed Pillow
For the person on top, missionary can often be a tasking sex position. But tantric sex expert Josefina Bashout recommends trying a softer, more supported missionary sex position on Thanksgiving: the stuffed pillow. To get into this position, simply move into a missionary sex position where the receiver puts a few pillows underneath their hips. Instead of quick thrusts, however, Bashout suggests focusing on energy flow and emotional closeness. “Trace fingertips, whisper affirmations, and sync breath with rhythm,” she says.
Taylor Andrews is the senior balance editor at Popsugar, specializing in topics relating to sex, relationships, dating, sexual health, mental health, travel, and more. With eight years of editorial experience, Taylor has a strong background in content creation and storytelling. Prior to joining PS in 2021, she worked at Cosmopolitan.
