Thanksgiving is a way for many people to give thanks and enjoy moments together with friends and family. On the final Thursday of every November, many people gather and make new memories.
“I get to spend time with the people I love,” junior Kamyah Mallory says. “We usually like to play cornhole outside as a family and listen to music.”
To some, Thanksgiving gives people an opportunity to be with the people they care for and want to be around when they may not be able to see them often.
“Well, it depends on where I am, either my dad’s or my mom’s,” junior Ariel Joyal said. “But at my dad’s house, we cook dinner together, and we watch football and then we play card games afterwards, [I like] spending time with my family and seeing them, because I don’t see them very often.”
Thanksgiving also lets many people participate in different activities. These activities allow for people to have fun during a time when some people may need that. Some activities are but not limited to: watching the football game and the Thanksgiving dog show, shopping for black friday, and the turkey trot.
“Turkey trots have become a national tradition on Thanksgiving morning itself, or on the weekends before or after, in communities all over America,” Misty Ried of the Dravet Syndrome Foundation says. “Runners wore everything from turkey costumes and superhero gear to banana suits,”
Being together allows for people to create cherished memories while doing many different activities. For some this means spending the holiday with different family members and indulging in these activities, or it could be going hunting and playing games.
“I go to my grandparents cabin with my whole family, and we do a big scavenger hunt around the cabin, and then we eat a big meal together.” sophomore Lucy Ward says. “All the guys in my family will go hunting the day after and we’ll play like Thanksgiving themed games” Ward said. “It helps our family bond together and have fun.”
Another thing that happens during Thanksgiving is the Macy’s Day Thanksgiving parade. The parade features many floats and balloons that cross through New York, featuring many different characters from pop culture and other pieces of media.
“Over the past century, the Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Parade has featured a wide variety of giant balloon animals and cartoon characters.” Fred Frommer from Britannica says. “The balloons were at first filled with air and held up with sticks, but later helium allowed them to float and ropes were added to control them.”
This holiday gives people a moment just to sit back and relax, to take a break from the world and gather with the people they care about. This gives an opportunity to break from the stress of the outside and cozy up and enjoy what time you can.
“I feel like it’s like a bonding moment, and it’s something for us all to be together and just enjoy our time together, rather than just on the day of Thanksgiving” senior Carly McDermott says.
Thanksgiving gives time for celebration, to participate in some activities, and for those close to enjoy each other’s company and have a great holiday. Thanksgiving, as a whole, is more than just food, it is also a way to spread thanks to friends, family, and community, and have a great holiday season.
“I celebrate Thanksgiving by having different traditions,” Mallory said. “In my family, we share what we’re thankful for every year and make good memories.”.
