Each year, Americans celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday on the fourth Thursday of November. Most families follow traditions originating on first Thanksgiving, but many have their own traditions that they follow each year.
“The Wednesday before Thanksgiving my family comes to my house and we play a ton of games together,” senior Olivia Saldivar said. “It’s really fun.”
One of the best things about Thanksgiving is spending time with family. Many people live far from family members and travel long distances to be with their loved ones. They come together to give thanks for what they are most thankful for and share it with their loved ones.
“We also travel to my grandparents on Thanksgiving day,” Saldivar said. “They can’t come to our house anymore.”
As every Thanksgiving comes around, there is always the possibility a family member will not be returning, whether due to disputes or deaths.
“We lost our tio four years ago [and] without him Thanksgiving isn’t the same” sophomore Alyssa Oritz said. “We miss him everyday.”
Many generous folks use Thanksgiving as an opportunity to help the less fortunate. Some people volunteer to serve food at homeless shelters on Thanksgiving Day, while others donate to shelters or participate in canned food drives.
“[Volunteers are] sweet, really sweet [people, ” sophomore Zachary Sarabia said.
Television also plays a huge part in Thanksgiving celebrations. Many families watch the New York City Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, while others enjoy televised football games.
“[The parade is] not that big to us,” Sarabia said. “We don’t [care] that much about it.”
No matter what traditions each individual person has, the overall meaning of the holiday stays the same for everyone. People give thanks for what they have, and try to help spread the holiday spirit to those who may not have much to be thankful for in their lives.
