Surrounded by gravy and mashed potatoes, the oven-roasted turkey sizzles as it takes a place of honor on the dinner table. While the cranberry sauce mixes with the stuffing, the hickory smell of the turkey overwhelms the rest of the food as it establishes dominance over the meal.
Thanksgiving, the holiday that dates back to the year 1621, symbolizes a time of travel, turkey, football and family tradition. Most of all it is the one time of the year when people give thanks for all their blessings.
“Thanksgiving is unique because it is a time when everyone gives thanks for what they have,” Brock Lopes, ’10, said. “I am personally thankful for all my friends and family and my computer teacher Mr. (C.J.) Haydock.”
Thanksgiving is one of the few holidays that is celebrated solely in North America. Junior Do-Son “Peter” Yang, a Chinese student who has resided in America for two years, says that Thanksgiving is not celebrated in China.
“My family never celebrated Thanksgiving in China,” Yang said.”We started celebrating it once we immigrated to America.”
Many families have long-kept traditions that they carry on every year.
?My personal favorite part of Thanksgiving is eating my mom?s home-made cornbread,? Abel Carreon, ’11, said. “I also enjoy having my best friend, Sam, and his family over for dinner and fellowship, watching football on TV, and eating lots of food. Mostly it?s the same thing every year.?
According the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Thanksgiving week is one of busiest traveling periods of the year along with Christmas.
?Every Thanksgiving my family goes to our cabin at Shaver Lake,? Jenna Reed, ?09, said. “We play board games, listen to music and decorate our Christmas tree. It?s always a great family bonding time.?
For sophomore Mathew Stumpf, the dinner preparation remains one of the most important elements of the holiday.
?My favorite part of Thanksgiving is getting together with family and making the food,? Stumpf said. ?Each year my whole family works together to prepare the dinner. Each person has a different job and together we complete the task.?
Some students take advantage of the holiday by feasting on turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans and pumpkin pie.
?My favorite Thanksgiving tradition is having a turkey eating contest with my dad,? Stephen Cooley, ?09, said. ?He won last year by eating a whole turkey, but fell asleep two hours later. It was a great experience.?
Thanksgiving tends to emphasize relaxation and family bonding but for Jackie Cowin, ’10, the day resurfaces as a nightmarish experience.
?One year when I was three, my brother Bill ran me over in a junior-size toy car,? Cowin said. ?I fell on the concrete, got hurt, and started crying. I was wearing a nice white lace dress and it got all dirty; it was terrible. ?
Some people prefer the peace and quiet of their own home over the bumper-to-bumper traffic freeways or the hours of waiting at an airport.
?Every Thanksgiving my family sleeps in until around noon,? Richard Garcia, ’08, said. ?Then we usually watch a movie while the turkey is roasting. We just have a nice quiet day at home.?
While most families celebrate Thanksgiving in a traditional manner, Ashlyn White, ’11, and her relatives include new activities to their holiday.
White believes the most important part of national holiday is spending time with loved ones.
?My favorite thanksgiving memory was two years ago when my family and relatives made a scary movie about a crazy girl,? White said. “[The movie] ended up being very scary because it was so dark and spooky outside. We all had a great time working together and bonding.?
