Everyone has their own interpretation of what Thanksgiving is. For most, the word evokes images of football, family reunions, roasted turkey with stuffing, pumpkin pie and needless to say, the creators of the age-old holiday, the Pilgrims and Wampanoag.
“Thanksgiving is essentially a time to count my blessings and prioritize time with my family and, obviously, another day to sleep in,” freshman Bradyn Robinson said.
Besides more sleep, there are many other benefits that result from the five-day break.
“I use the Thanksgiving break to get some epic Fortnite wins, and I also spend some time with my family,” sophomore Andrew Brandt said.
Many families use the break from school and work to travel, especially to see relatives.
“I can’t remember the last time we stayed home for Thanksgiving. We always go and visit our friends and family that we never see,” sophomore Hayden Stephenson said.
Aside from the popular connotations of Thanksgiving, like watching football, many families enjoy each other by playing board games.
“My family is ultra-competitive, and we usually delve head-deep into dozens of board games. We can play for hours on end. In my opinion, it’s a perfect way to reconnect with relatives I only see once a year,” Stephenson said.
Some families don’t follow mainstream practices when it comes to the holiday. Many like to add their own personal elements to celebrate.
“One unique touch my family has is, in addition to the standard Thanksgiving entrees, we like to add a traditional Asian cuisine to touch back with our roots. I imagine most other families wouldn’t add a side of noodles to their turkey,” junior Kevin Pham said.
The way different cultures celebrate Thanksgiving varies from family to family.
“My family invites over more people than I can count. Then we all go to the living room, play some Spanish music, and we have a dance party,” sophomore Daphne Rodela said.
While many Americans use the holiday to count their blessings and celebrate their nationalism, others choose not to celebrate it.
“Thanksgiving is just another day for me, albeit a day off of school. My parents are from Vietnam, so we’ve never touched base with American culture that extensively,” sophomore Jessie Nguyen said.
Although everyone may construe the nearly 400-year-old holiday differently, most have one underlying opinion: Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on your blessings, stuff your face, and enjoy the time off school.
