A Thankful Celebration
Hope Nguyen, Staff Contributor
December 18, 2019
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A s the leaves turn brown and the air gets cooler, holiday cheer enlightens our hearts. Americans begin preparation for the Christmas season; but first, we take a moment to celebrate the people we love on Thanksgiving Day.
The holiday began in 1621 when the Wampanoag natives taught the pilgrims how to hunt, fish, and gather food. With hearts full of love and bellies full of turkey, the pilgrims gave thanks to the natives over a savory dinner, creating the tradition for thousands of generations to follow. Today, we celebrate Thanksgiving by spending time with our families and eating massive amounts of food. Although the tradition mimics the original gathering between the natives and the settlers, each family has their own unique ways to honor the holiday.
A typical dish on junior Kaylee Bauchen’s Thanksgiving table would be her grandma’s homemade pie. “My grandma has always enjoyed baking and trying new recipes, so it’s a surprise what she makes. Last year, it was an apple pie; the year before that it was a pumpkin pie.”
For junior Kiersten Gramblett, her family’s traditional Thanksgiving dish is her mom’s green bean casserole. She exclaims, “My favorite part of Thanksgiving is the food because that is the only time of year that I eat those kinds of foods.”
The places we celebrate Thanksgiving vary between families. However, it’s not the location that makes us at home. It’s who we are with.
“We’ve always celebrated Thanksgiving at my grandparents’ house. Everyone always finds a way to gather there,” says Kaylee. “As a kid, my grandparents’ house was always my favorite place to go, so I’ve always loved visiting for Thanksgiving.”
Thanksgiving is a time to honor the native Americans and the first settlers coming together. As we gather to celebrate this American holiday, different cultures create new customs for many families.
“Sometimes I would celebrate with my family in Texas, and sometimes I would celebrate in Mexico. We would go pop fireworks; but they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, so they don’t do the turkey and stuffing,” explains senior Sonja Ochoa. With all of our unique family traditions, we embody the American idealism of its “melting pot” culture.
Though the delicious meals are often what most people look forward to during this holiday, the celebration brings together something more important than our appetites. It brings together our families.
“Being surrounded by people you love is a different feeling. I feel this warmth in me, like I’m complete,” said Sonja, glowing with love.
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