When people think about Thanksgiving, the first thing that comes to mind is the food. We think of the turkey we all know we only pretend to like. We think of the mashed potatoes that we drown in gravy, the stuffing recipe passed down through generations, and, of course, pumpkin pie. Many students celebrate the week off of school by hanging out with friends and sleeping in. While sitting around the dinner table with family and food is the most common way of celebrating Thanksgiving, people have unique ways to celebrate with their families. Whether watching football with the family, playing it, or betting on it, thanksgiving is celebrated in many ways.
Sophomore Tenzin Chukey spends quality time with her family by recording family TikToks. “Getting together with the family and making funny TikToks is a great way to get the holidays entertaining,” she says. These TikToks involve family dances and pranks, showing all of the fun ways her family bonds. She hopes this tradition will live on, as reminiscing the drafts of these funny memories brings her joy.
However, Tenzin’s family’s social media is not the only way Springfield celebrates what they are thankful for. When asked, many students agreed that driving to a relative’s house and seeing their cousins is something that they look forward to. Freshman, Maeve Malloy explains that she spends her Thanksgiving “talking about everyone’s ex-boyfriends” and having casual gossip sessions with her favorite cousins.
Students are not the only people who look forward to missing school to spend time with relatives. Teachers take advantage of the time off from school and grading assignments, utilizing the time to spend time with loved ones. Math teacher, Mr. Vizza reflects on a beloved Thanksgiving, where a dear Danish friend of his who had recently moved to the States had nowhere to go, so he invited him over to celebrate the holiday. They watched The Sound of Music and enjoyed a hearty feast. This began a long-lasting tradition with both of them celebrating “the last 25 years celebrating Thanksgiving with him and his family.”
Not all traditions are as specific, though. Mr. Shelly, while claiming that it is nothing too special, explains that a way that his family comes together is by playing board games with his kids and extended family. However, something that they do without fail every year is watching Home Alone. While this is technically considered a Christmas movie, it is a movie loved dearly by his family, creating a bonding moment when they get together to enjoy it.
Whether specific or broad, yearly, or every couple of years, all families have unique ways of celebrating. Many families also represent their own cultures, while also embracing their American side. This can look like eating Pho with your Vietnamese grandmother while also eating mashed potatoes on the side. For some families, Thanksgiving includes having chicken because “nobody likes turkey,” a claim made by many. The food may not be the same in every household, but for all families, it isn’t about what you eat; it’s about who you eat it with: the people you are grateful for.
