When we think of Thanksgiving, we remember the same traditions every year. We’ve all eaten way too much turkey, endured hours of holiday traffic, and moderated a family feud over whwatch football or the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. But every family has their own way to celebrate, and that’s what makes this holiday so awesome (although stuffing and pumpkin pie aren’t so bad, either.)
So before you dig in to your Thanksgiving meal, check out what the collegiettes™ at Her Campus love to do for the holiday! And tell us about your favorite Thanksgiving tradition by leaving a comment below.
I love reuniting with friends to go Black Friday shopping after spending time with our families!
-Bernice Chuang, Campus Correspondent, UT-Austin
Every Thanksgiving both my Mom’s side and my Dad’s side come over for lunch. They both have big families, so it’s a bunch of people! I love being able to see aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents on both sides of my family. Not many families are lucky enough to be with both sides at the same time!
-Laura Maddox, Campus Correspondent, Appalachian State University
My dad and I used to go on a Hunger Awareness Walk at the Mall of America every morning on Thanksgiving. It was a really great way to spend time with him, and enjoy a huge tourist spot in my home state when it was fairly empty. Plus you could scope out sales a day early!
-Sydney Nolan, Contributing Writer, University of Missouri-Columbia
My favorite tradition is playing Scattergories with my family. My brother and I always form an alliance and vote each others (completely absurd) words and phrases in.
-Michelle King, Health Editor and Editorial Intern, Emerson College
My favorite Thanksgiving tradition is going over to have dinner at my grandmother’s house. It’s always so nice to see her because I rarely see her during the school year. We are very close so it’s great to bond with her. She also makes the best butternut squash soup!
–Asya Bashina, Campus Correspondent, Brandeis University
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Every year for as long as I can remember, my mom and I get up at 4 AM on Black Friday. We have a huge breakfast to fuel up, then we do all of our Christmas shopping before 3pm!
–Jessica Johnson, Campus Correspondent, University of Alabama
I love spending time at the shore with my family. We always go to our beach house, even though it’s usually snowy and cold, because it’s kind of tucked away from normal life — no friends, no need to go to the mall, no plans. It’s always quiet down there, and it’s such a nice place to spend time together and relax around Thanksgiving.
–Lauren Kaplan, Contributing Writer, Emory University
I love to work out with my dad in the morning, so that I don’t feel so guilty later when I’m piling up the mashed potatoes. It’s great to be thankful for a healthy body, a great dad, and plenty of delicious food!
–Kate Byers, Campus Correspondent, Miami University
My favorite Thanksgiving tradition is definitely my mom’s famous deviled eggs. They’re usually always eaten up within 15 minutes of being done – even before the turkey is on the table!
-Serena Piper, Campus Correspondent, University of Oregon
Thanksgiving is a great holiday for me because my birthday sometimes falls on the day of, or even better, on Black Friday. I get to enjoy a big Thanksgiving feast with my family, go shopping at the crack of dawn, and celebrate my birthday. I’m especially excited for this year because I’m turning 21!
-Erica Avesian, Contributing Writer, University of Michigan
Watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with my family is enormously special to me. We get up early, make waffles, and have a wonderfully lazy morning together.
-Mara Flanagan, Campus Correspondent, Chatham University