Thanksgiving approaches, and everyone is getting ready for a food-filled holiday. No school, and more time to spend with family. While many look forward to turkey and pumpkin pie, not everyone loves every tradition. Some students told us the parts of the holiday that they do NOT look forward to. A very common complaint is waiting for the fresh food all day. Most families spend hours preparing and gathering items to make their famous recipes. Students have elaborated that it feels like forever before they can actually eat, “I am just so excited to eat the food … I can’t wait for it to be ready,” said freshman Addi Blisset.
Another disliked tradition of Thanksgiving is the unspoken dress code. Many families “dress up” for Thanksgiving, so trying to figure out a simple but fancy outfit can be stressful for others. Most people want to relax in comfortable clothes, and othersfeel that dressing up is useless. “I would rather stay in comfy clothes,” said Fresham Charleston Alexander.
Another awkward tradition is family conversations. Many students say that these uncomfortable and awkward talks usually revolve around grades, relationships, plans, etc. Having these talks can benefit your knowledge of family members, but can also spoil happy moods. “I hate when my family argues about politics; it makes it awkward,” said freshman Mason Conaway.
Even the Thanksgiving food can make people dissatisfied. Many people love the traditional Thanksgiving foods, but some are unappealing. When people criticize others’ food, it can upset them. Most families set aside a full day just to prepare the food. Then there are leftovers, and leftovers tend to show opinions. While some can enjoy the food for days. Others can find that unappetizing and repetitive. “My least favorite food is stuffing, but I do feel bad for those who make it because they really try hard. I just would prefer not to because I don’t like it,” said freshman Maggie Buecker.
Some Thanksgiving traditions occur outside of the dinner table. For example, watching football can aggravate those who would rather sit at a dinner table with no distractions. Some can find other activities chaotic or stressful, like kids playing outside. Most have complaints about how boring family activities can be, “Our family is really big, and it gets really crowded because we go to the same place every year, and there is no space to sit down,” said freshman Anna Cheek.
Despite these complaints, most students agree that Thanksgiving is a very important holiday that means a lot to families all around. The break from school, mixed with chances to see relatives, makes the holiday very meaningful. Even if every tradition isn’t one’s favorite, the quality time and food mean the most. “I look forward to spending time with my family, eating all of the good food, and we usually do mini sport tournaments, so that is always fun,” said freshman Tinley Bialas.
In the end, nothing is perfect; whether students like or dislike certain Thanksgiving traditions, the holiday still remains meaningful. Even if the conversions get awkward or the Turkey runs out, Thanksgiving will always be a special day to spend quality time with loved ones.
