Following Halloween, Thanksgiving remains widely forgotten, especially when it comes to home decor or store’s holiday sections, due to the popularity of Christmas and Hanukkah.
Since the first Thanksgiving in 1621, millions of Americans have participated in the popular tradition of gathering with their families and loved ones to sit down for a meal together every fourth Thursday of November.
One of the most common forms of Thanksgiving celebration is gathering for a meal, similar to the Plymouth Pilgrims and Wampanoag people after the English settler’s successful harvest in autumn of 1621.
“For Thanksgiving, I hangout with my dad’s family and sometimes we go to Chicago together. I love seeing all my family and enjoying a traditional meal together,” senior Arianna Borhan said. “Everyone brings a dish that they cooked and we get to spend time together as a family.”
Likewise, senior Kevin Moya also enjoys his dinner, with a twist. “Every Thanksgiving my extended family all come over to my house for dinner. Everyone brings a plate of food, most of the time we eat Cuban food so people bring dishes like rice, beans, plantains and yuca,” Moya said.
Unlike today, where Thanksgiving is only one day and one main meal, in 1621, the feast lasted for three days.
Today, many people travel to celebrate with their loved ones. “I usually go to my grandparents’ house in Rhode Island to see my dad’s family and spend the day preparing our meal with my family,” senior Aubrey Caprara said.
Whether at home or away, Thanksgiving stands for a tradition of gathering around a table with close friends and family and enjoying a day or a meal together.
For most families, everyone chips in on bringing dishes to a Thanksgiving dinner. From appetizers to main courses, cooking is one of the many ways to spend time with family and work together to create a feast. (Photo/Stacy Bomar)
Thanksgiving is a way to celebrate together while gathering with friends and family. Senior Jaiden Bomar reunited with childhood friends for the first time in ten years for a family dinner. (Photo/Stacy Bomar)
