Every year, on the third Thursday of November, many Americans travel far and wide to be close to their friends and families and observe Thanksgiving. Others stay at home and celebrate with their immediate families; some do not acknowledge the holiday at all. All schools and nearly all offices and stores close for Thanksgiving, so regardless of who is celebrating, the holiday offers an opportunity for a short break.
Those who do celebrate often adopt their own annual family traditions. Although my family is made up of immigrants, we all greatly enjoy Thanksgiving and the meaning that we attach to the holiday. Each year, part of my family and some close family friends gather at my grandmother’s house to enjoy Thanksgiving classics like mashed potatoes, stuffing, wild rice, and corn, as well as a Pakistani-style turkey. My dad always cuts the turkey, and we all join in prayer before eating. I would say that my Thanksgiving celebration is pretty typical, and similar to that of many Americans.
However, such traditions vary greatly from family to family, and after speaking to several MoCo students about how they celebrate I realized how diversified the holiday truly is. Quince Orchard senior Nikki Ahmadi is Iranian-American. “Most of the time, we host [Thanksgiving dinner]. We’ll have macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, but we usually don’t have a turkey. So, we’ll have Iranian food like kabob, chicken, or a more homestyle Iranian meal,” Ahmadi said.
She also explained that their reason for observing Thanksgiving is also a bit unconventional. “We aren’t super patriotic, we just use this as a time to take a break from school and work and have some family time.” Ahmadi’s way of celebrating is a great example of how one’s background can affect their Thanksgiving traditions.
Violet Zheng is also a senior at QO, and one of her family’s traditions differs greatly from what one would expect. “Everyone has different cultural food. For us, we make turkey by stuffing it with sticky rice,” Zheng said. “The sticky rice is the best part!” Sticky rice, also known as glutinous rice, is a grain grown mostly in Southeast and East Asia.
Nadia Emran is a sophomore at Wootton High School and her family’s celebration is similar to mine. “My favorite tradition would be going to one of my closest family friend’s house every Thanksgiving for as long as I can remember. We always say a prayer before we eat,” Emran said.
Yvanna Ruano also enjoys spending time with her friends and family on this holiday. “Once we finish eating, all of us play a board game and watch a Christmas movie together,” QO senior Yvanna Ruano said. “Although we always cook all the traditional Thanksgiving foods, we also try to incorporate a Guatemalan dish that my siblings and I make with my mom so we can learn some of our Hispanic heritage.”
It seems to be evident that a family’s origins can play a significant part in the way Thanksgiving is celebrated. This is not the case for all, though. “I celebrate with my family. We have a big meal and then play board games,” Northwest freshman Amber Godil said. “My favorite thing is eating dessert. [Ethnic background] doesn’t play a role in the way we celebrate.”
Every family’s way of celebrating the holiday differs from that of the next, making Thanksgiving a very unique holiday. No matter how one chooses to celebrate, if at all, the celebration is valid and all Americans can be united by their love of food and family.
Article by MoCo Student staff writer Ayesha Shahzad of Quince Orchard High School