When celebrating thanksgiving, most people gather with their loved ones for a large meal. Thanksgiving events often include watching football games, attending or watching parades, or participating in community service. Many families also have a tradition of going around the table to share what they are grateful for. People celebrate thanksgiving differently but traditions usually include hosting a meal and expressing gratitude.
Many people like to host a friendsgiving. A Friendsgiving is a Thanksgiving gathering for friends to share a meal, food, and the spirit of gratitude, rather than with family. This informal celebration is a modern tradition where friends act as a “family,” Friendsgiving is especially popular among young adults who live in cities or live far from their biological families. Friendsgivings are usually held in November, on a weekend day before or after the official Thanksgiving holiday. Everyone who joins the friendsgiving usually brings a meal so each person contributes.
When preparing Thanksgiving dinner you want to start preparing 3 days ahead of time. To help your mashed potatoes end up extra fluffy you’ll want to freeze them a few days before Thanksgiving. To make Thanksgiving easier to prepare. Cook your gravy ahead of time and freeze it until you need it on the table. It is easier for it to be frozen and then thawed out then needing to be cooked. When making cranberry sauce it doesn’t matter if it’s made ahead of time or day of it doesn’t change the consistency. Some Traditional Thanksgiving foods include roasted turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, potatoes or stuffing, and cranberry sauce. Side dishes are green beans, corn, and rolls, while classic desserts are pumpkin, pecan, and apple pie. Many families also have their own regional or family specialties. Families also enjoy other sweets like sweet potato pie, cheesecake, and Chocolate creme pie.
Indigenous people do not all “celebrate” Thanksgiving in the traditional sense, it is a day of mourning. While others celebrate it as a separate family gathering. Some indigenous communities still hold their own harvest celebrations, The Thanksgiving story has been taught to children in school as an origin story. But many Native Americans remember the day as their families getting killed. It’s been a day of mourning for almost 50 years now.
The idea of a single, traditional Thanksgiving stems from a mythologized and simplified version of the 1621 harvest feast between Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag people. Not everyone celebrates thanksgiving the same. Everyone has their own traditions and thoughts. You can’t have a “right way” to celebrate thanksgiving. It all comes down to family tradition and what you believe in.
