Thanksgiving is commonly associated with turkey, macaroni and cheese, and big family gatherings, at least in the United States, that is. All around the world, there are different cultures and ways of celebrating Thanksgiving day, whether it is cooking special foods or following a unique tradition that others might not. At the end of the day, everyone comes together for the same reason.
In the United States, Thanksgiving is pronounced as a day of giant family gatherings, turkey, Pumpkin Pie, and football games. However, Thanksgiving is more than delicious foods and family members knocking at your door.
“For Thanksgiving, we meet up with our family, and we generally just spend time together,” Freshman Cora Krueger said.
Although food is not the primary focus of Thanksgiving, it still plays an important role. The food lets families and close friends spend time together and make new memories.
“I usually make desserts. I have this apple pie recipe that I make for my family. I also have a cinnamon roll recipe that I make for my family,” Krueger said.
Adding your own festive twist to the holiday can make Thanksgiving feel even more special than it already is.
“A lot of families do Secret Santa, we do Secret Turkey, where we all have to make various gifts for each other for Thanksgiving out of anything we can find,” Krueger said.
However, as much fun as adding your own tradition to an already very traditional holiday may seem, some people like to keep it simple.
“I hang around with my family and spend a lot of time with them,” freshman Kayson Foor said.
Thanksgiving is also a holiday that especially lets people make memories.
“When I used to live in Pennsylvania, we used to always play football on Thanksgiving, and that has just stuck with me for a really long time,” Foor said.
While Thanksgiving in the United States mainly centers on food, family, and games, other countries celebrate Thanksgiving in their own ways. In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October with a focus on spending time with loved ones and sharing a large meal, having relaxed and quieter celebrations.
In India, the concept of Thanksgiving alone is incorporated into a time of festivals, specifically already existing festivals, such as Pongal, a four-day festival which gives thanks to the sun, cattle, and harvest, and Makar Sankranti, which celebrates the tradition of the sun’s transition into Capricorn.
Even if the traditions of Thanksgiving vary, the meaning behind it all stays the same. Whether it’s going to large family events or playing a simple game of football, Thanksgiving is an act of gratitude and gratefulness, letting us be able to sit down and enjoy everything we have.
