Staff Writer: Emily Hammond
Thanksgiving is a commonly celebrated holiday in America; however, everyone celebrates it differently. From family traditions to Friendsgiving, everyone has different ways they prefer to celebrate this nation-wide holiday.
No two traditions are the same. The different foods and cuisines enjoyed on Thanksgiving vary greatly, as well as the people they are enjoyed with.
Some people prefer to spend the holiday with friends and call it “Friendsgiving,” while others like to spend it with their family.
Furthermore, some people like to take part in both. If this is the case, Friendsgiving is typically held a few days before Thanksgiving in order to make both celebrations possible and easy to manage for people with busy schedules.
A typical Thanksgiving meal would feature a collection and combination of these dishes, along with additional dishes.
Another popular tradition is watching football in the afternoon. All kinds of families gather around to enjoy a football game to conversate about the game and other aspects of their lives.
Playing and watching football is a Thanksgiving tradition that dates back to 1876.
Likewise, Thanksgiving is a great opportunity for people to have a chance to catch up with relatives and other friends.
Kenzie York, a tenth grader, has a tradition of her own. “My family wakes up early to watch the Thanksgiving Day parade.” Other families all over the country look forward to watching the parade, as well.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade’s leading float in 2022. For the 96th annual parade, there were upwards of 50 million people watching, either broadcast or in person.
“I like to watch the Westminster Dog Show every Thanksgiving,” said Keira LePage, a senior. Dog and animal lovers throughout the nation also enjoy watching the show annually.
Many families have their own recipes beloved by every member in the family. Usually, Thanksgiving is a time when these recipes are revisited. Sometimes these foods can bring back nostalgia and memories to further discuss.
This also opens a doorway to learning and discovering interesting traditions around the world and throughout one’s own family history.
Thanksgiving is the gateway to the holiday season. So much so that beginning as early as November first, some people are already in the Christmas spirit. What’s more, multiple Thanksgiving traditions are rooted in Christmas festivity and preparation.
Several traditions include a head start to the December holiday season by listening to festive music and decorating the inside and outside of one’s house.
Sophia Marcusky, a sophomore, says that she loves the Christmas traditions she has just as much as Thanksgiving ones. “I go to my grandparents’ house every Christmas Eve and we essentially celebrate Christmas a day before Christmas.”
Some traditions renewed every year don’t have much to do with Thanksgiving, but they are rather about who the holiday is celebrated with.
Whether it be with family or friends, Thanksgiving is a holiday meant for the enjoyment of the presence, memories made, and time spent with loved ones.
The Wolverine Times 
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