Traditions

Feasting with family

Unique Thanksgiving traditions bring families together

Katie Barnett barnekat000@hsestudents.org

Thanksgiving was declared a national holiday in 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln. Since then, it has been celebrated by millions of Americans each year. A family’s lifestyle, culture and more impact Thanksgiving. This year, social distancing measures will also change holiday celebrations. There are some commonly held traditions shared by people around the country, but each family’s Thanksgiving is unique.

The Feast

Enjoying a shared meal is one of the most recognized Thanksgiving traditions. The food at the table varies widely in each family. Senior Livia Bogdan’s family incorporates Romanian tradition into their Thanksgiving holiday. “We usually have a lot of traditional Romanian food, which is a lot of soups,” Bogdan said. “We don’t usually have turkey. We usually have ham or beef of some sort.” Romanian cuisine contains many meats, soups and cheeses that are rich in spices. Her family spends a part of their holiday making a selection of traditional Romanian sausages. “In Romania, they make sausage all the time, but for us, it’s a day-long expenditure that takes a long time,” Bogdan said. “It’s de nitely no typical Thanksgiving.” English teacher Kate Young also says that she does not have a typical Thanksgiving. Her family is vegetarian, so their feast consists of unique options that t their dietary restrictions. “I do a combination of making some vegan and vegetarian dishes and we get some of the things from Whole Foods,” Young said. “They have a whole vegan Thanksgiving menu which is really good.” Young said that although her family enjoys Thanksgiving now, it was not always easy. When they switched to their new diet, they found that the holidays became a lot more work. “About six years ago when we became vegetarian it became harder and harder to enjoy the holidays,” Young said. “We had to bring our own food everywhere we went. Now it’s just my husband and kids by ourselves at home.” Despite the challenges, Young treasures the time she gets to spend with her family around the table.

Post-Feast Festivities

A er sharing a meal with their families, Americans turn to a variety of activities to pass the time on Thanksgiving. Bogdan says her family likes to get a head start on Black Friday shopping. “Sometimes, my parents go out shopping on Black Friday,” Bogdan said. “But for the most part, we usually do online shopping.” Young says her family likes to remain at home and gather around the television. She says this is a fun way for her family to relax and spend time together. “My mom loves to watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade,” Young said. “My family doesn’t really care much about it. Since my husband and I have been together, Thanksgiving is lled with football instead.” Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some people will alter their Thanksgiving traditions to stay safe. For many, this will involve staying at home and playing games with close family. Junior Nathaniel Lewis says his family already has plenty of traditions that allow him to stay home. “A er we eat, we usually just sit around and play dominoes,” Lewis said. “In the evening, the adults have their time to play card games and watch TV.” Thanksgiving will look di erent this year, but students and their families plan to continue the traditions that are special to them.

Infographic created by Katie Barnett