Food covers the tabletop until there is no surface left to be seen. Chairs are pulled up as friends and family settle in. The prized turkey finally makes its way to the table, and Thanksgiving begins. While food and thanks are the center of the holiday, there are other various traditions people celebrate on Thanksgiving.  

“My family usually gathers at my aunt’s house, and we eat together and sometimes play games. On the years we do not go to her house, we go out to eat a restaurant, usually Maggiano’s,” Connor Pearson, sophomore, said. 

The most well-known tradition is the annual holiday meal. Thanksgiving is commonly celebrated around a table filled with home-made foods, including turkey, cornbread, ham, and stuffing. Families spend many hours preparing dishes to ensure a delicious meal for their loved ones to enjoy and share, often with relatives that traveled for the special occasion. 

“On Thanksgiving morning, my grandparents come, and we sit together and eat the cinnamon casserole we make every year and watch the parade. Later that evening, my cousins, aunts, and uncle will come over, and we set the table to eat turkey and have game night after,” Emily Eivers, freshman, said. 

For nearly a century, millions of Americans have tuned in to watch the historic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Hundreds of floats glide through the streets of New York while riders and walkers sing, dance, play music, and wave to the crowds. The parade is broadcasted across various networks for all to enjoy.  

“Every year we watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade while preparing the food. In the afternoon we gather with all our family to feast, and we always end the day watching Planes, Trains, and Automobiles [an old comedy film,]” Ava Scott, junior, said. 

While Thanksgiving is often celebrated among relatives, it can also be shared with other loved ones who are considered family. Friendsgiving is a way for people to come together and be thankful for their relationships and enjoy the time together. Friends often share a big meal with each other, play games, go out, or even watch Thanksgiving football.  

“To me, Friendsgiving is hanging out with my friends, eating good food, and having a good time,” Jamir Maxime, junior, said.  

Thanksgiving is not a holiday that is celebrated just one way, as it is a day for all Americans to come together and be thankful for what they have.