Erin Wallbillich, Freshman
Every year on the last Thursday of November, Thanksgiving occurs. Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated annually. It is a day to give thanks for everything someone is grateful for. This idea came to be from the 102 passengers from Plymouth, England who boarded the Mayflower to look for the ‘New World.’ The Mayflower finally arrived in Massachusetts. After arrival, the Pilgrims (those on the ship) met the Native Americans living there. To try and make peace, the Pilgrims had a feast that included the Native Americans. This is where the tradition of having a feast on Thanksgiving comes from. All of this and more is how Thanksgiving came to be. Thanksgiving is celebrated all across the United States of America. Many people may happen to have the same traditions, but there are many more that are special to some families. Also, different parts of the United States also celebrate Thanksgiving differently. These different traditions are what make Thanksgiving special for everyone.
One tradition that many people do across America is breaking the wishbone. Every Thanksgiving turkey and every regular turkey comes with a wishbone. A wishbone is one of the bones in a turkey that has two parts of the bone sticking up while one is going down, kind of in a ‘Y’ shape. The two going up are used as handlebars, and on the count of three, two people pull on the bones towards themselves. But before they pull on the bone, they make a wish. After pulling on the bone, whoever gets the side that has the part of the bone that’s downwards still attached to it technically wins. It is said that the person who wins has their wish that they made, in the beginning, come true. This is a very fun part of Thanksgiving that is enjoyable for all ages and people.
A very unique tradition that some people do on Thanksgiving is passing down a family recipe or creating their own to pass down for generations. This recipe could be from years before that someone each year learns and the next year it is their turn to pass it down to someone else. This recipe could also be made every year at Thanksgiving dinner and is something that everyone loves and enjoys. If there is no recipe that has been made from generations in the past, take some time on Thanksgiving Day and create a recipe that begins this tradition. This will create a bond between families because they are working together to create something that will be in their family for years to come. Whether it’s a simple pie to a complicated dish that everyone enjoys, it will be in the family forever from generation to generation and will make every Thanksgiving dinner amazing.
Another tradition that families do on Thanksgiving is watching the Thanksgiving football game. Every year there are two American football games on the day of Thanksgiving. This is a time to bond with family over a game that is fun and exciting to watch. Whether watching it before or after dinner, it is enjoyable. If your family is active and does not enjoy sitting down and watching something on television, then play a game outside. Split up the family or have team captains and make two teams. Then go head-on-head for a fun two-touch football game. They could even do adults versus kids for a fun game as well. Football is a great tradition to bond with family and have something good to do while waiting for the turkey to be done.
One of the most popular traditions in the United States is giving thanks around the dinner table. This would happen before eating and everyone gets a turn. While going in a circle, everyone says what they are grateful for in their life, whether it’s the people in their life to the food they eat every day, there is something for them to be thankful for. They can also talk about the moments that have happened in their life that they are grateful for. They could even describe a trip or even a dinner that made them very happy and thankful. This is a tradition that everyone in the family and the friend group can participate in. It gives them the time to tell those closest to them many things that they most likely wouldn’t tell them on a normal day.
All of these traditions are celebrated across the United States on Thanksgiving. Whether it’s a football game or a family recipe, there is something to do together. Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for everything in someone’s life. These traditions and many more can help make this Thanksgiving be the best Thanksgiving ever.
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