The Many Traditions of Thanksgiving

Author: Alexa Paley

It wouldn’t feel like Thanksgiving unless certain family-oriented traditions did not happen each year. For some, it is making that famous cranberry sauce with Grandma, and for others, it is football outside with their brothers. No matter what it may be, Thanksgiving provides us ample opportunity to reunite with family and be thankful for all that we have, big or small.

Due to the diverse demographics of the Cornell student body, we all share different Thanksgiving celebrations and traditions. One sophomore, originally from the States, who moved to London when he was 14, recalled his unique Thanksgiving firework tradition:

“Because our extended family still lives in the States, we always have the same 50-plus friends over and my mom cooks a massive dinner. Then, like clockwork, my dad sets off fireworks in the garden for everyone.”

While this tradition only started only five years ago, he looks forward to it every year, and although he misses his grandparents’ home-cooked meal, he is thankful for all of the friends that surround him and his family in his foreign city.

For a freshman from New Jersey, the most memorable part of Thanksgiving is the competitive football game he plays with his brother and his dad:

“Every year, my brother flies in from Los Angeles and we have an annual football game. It always gets really competitive.”

On top of the amazing meal prepared by his mom and grandma, this freshman enjoys the scarce opportunity in which he gets to see his brother, who “lives really far away so he only comes in for major holidays.”

 

 

 

For others, it is simply the holiday feeling that makes Thanksgiving special.

One Cornell student revealed, “We don’t always do the same thing every year, sometimes we go to my aunt’s and other times we have it at our house. But the feeling is always the same. I don’t know if it is the smell of the food or everyone on their holidays high, but we always have the best, most enjoyable meal all together.”

Each year, she enjoys cooking desserts with her aunt and mom while her grandpa handles the turkey. “While we’re cooking, we are joking, laughing, and always so happy.”

And, most simply, for some, it is the food. A sophomore student said, “Thanksgiving dinner is my favorite food of all time. My grandma’s pumpkin pie is actually unbeatable.”

For one excited junior, he secretly loves the “feeling after you’re done eating. You are always so satisfied and full. No matter what, everyone overeats on Thanksgiving. After cleaning and everything, my family and I always watch a movie together. Everyone’s too lazy to do anything else.”

 

 

My family and I do not have a typical, food-related Thanksgiving tradition. Whether we are at our home or traveling, with our grandparents or with our cousins, we always go around the table and share our “highs and lows” and truly appreciate all we have to be thankful for. Even though the “highs and lows” are often funny, it is a serious tradition nevertheless. I will probably complain about the time this year that my computer crashed and this minor “low” will make me realize all the good that I have in my life.

Traditions define our memories. Whether or not families share a tangible tradition or simply just the tradition of happiness when they’re all together, the holiday of Thanksgiving truly shows us all we have to be thankful for–namely, the ones we love.

family, Food, football, thanksgiving, tradition