This November, I had triple the amount of thanks to give. Not only did I eat Thanksgiving dinner with my parents and my sister, as well as my mom’s parents and her sister, as I usually do, but also, I had the exciting opportunity to partake in Peircegiving at Kenyon as well as in an earlier Thanksgiving dinner with just my immediate family the Monday before Thanksgiving.
Even though I usually only have one dinner each year, the one with my mom’s family in Las Vegas, when I learned that I would get to eat two extra Thanksgiving meals, I was ecstatic for two reasons: 1) I love food, and 2) I really, really especially love Thanksgiving food. Since I was little, my family has had the tradition of my dad cooking Thanksgiving dinner with my sister and me as his assistants. However, for the past few years, since we began travelling to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving, rather than cooking our meal ourselves, we have been going to a restaurant or bringing in food for Thanksgiving. This year, when my parents suggested we have an earlier dinner a few nights before we left for Vegas, I was incredibly excited. It had been so long since I had had a chance to cook alongside my dad and my sister, and especially after being away from home for three months, the nostalgic activity was much appreciated.
However, even though I loved the throw-back dinner, and the food which my sister primarily made was absolutely delicious, I had no problem going to a restaurant for actual Thanksgiving. The holiday isn’t special because of where the food comes from, it’s special because it is one of the few times of the year that I get to spend quality time with my aunt and grandparents, and now that I’ve moved so far from home, with my parents and sister. I was so incredibly fortunate to eat three Thanksgiving dinners this year. I am so thankful that I was able to share Peircegiving dinner with my friends, mostly because I am grateful that I have met such wonderful people in the short time I have been at Kenyon. I am so thankful that I was able to have a second spread of turkey (covered in bacon, delicious) with all the fixings with my parents and my sister in the house that I grew up in. And I am especially thankful that I was able to spend part of my break from school with my grandparents and my aunt who I love so much, even if we ate at Marie Callender’s instead of at their home.
I love Thanksgiving, but I love my friends and family even more. The fact that I had triple the amount of delicious food and triple the amount of wonderful people to share my Thanksgiving with is what I really am thankful for.
Thank you to everyone who made my first Thanksgiving(s) at college so amazing. I hope your Thanksgiving and your turkey (or turkeys) were as fantastic as mine were. I am so incredibly thankful thankful thankful for you. Image Credit: Mark Nagel and Annmarie Morrison