With Thanksgiving right around the corner, family traditions are starting to come back into our minds, especially mine. And if you have a family anything like mine, it’s freaking huge. My parents host Thanksgiving which means there’s a lot of preparation involved.
The first step for me, though, is driving five and a half hours home (allllll the way down to Twin Lakes, WI). I pack up my laundry, homework that I tell myself I’m going to do (and never do), and everything else I’ll need for a few days at home. I stop for gas, coffee and maybe a few snacks, and then get on the highway. One stop for a gas refill, coffee (again), and food. Five hours later, I pull in the driveway. I walk in the door to folding tables getting set up so that anywhere from 25-35 people are able to sit.
Thanksgiving morning, I wake up early, around 6:30-7:00 am and proceed to put on five layers of clothes. A half-hour later, my family and I pile into the car and drive to a local park, where we meet some of my cousins and uncles. For the next hour or so, we play touch football. A lot of it consists of trash-talking each other, and my older cousins complaining that their bodies are too old to be doing this.
When everyone gives up, we all go home and get ready for the rest of the day. My family and I come home to the house filled with warm, delicious smells.
Now, this is where things get crazy.
My family cooks around four turkeys, 6-8 pies, and a WHOLE LOT of mashed potatoes and biscuits, plus all the other side dishes we have. Cranberries, green beans, something delicious called cornbread casserole and so much more!
After we eat, a few things happen. Some clean-up—this is usually my aunts, mom, and grandma. Some fall asleep on the couch (or the floor—it happened to my cousin last year). The third group sits at the table and looks through all the store coupons and papers, finding the perfect deals for Black Friday.
At first, all of these didn’t seem like traditions. But looking at it, they all are. It would feel weird if something changed, or didn’t happen. Traditions are things we learn from being with our family or friends. They can make the holiday what it is. Writing this article and thinking about all these things has made me more excited to go home and experience my family’s traditions. Taking a closer look at them can make you appreciate them more.
So, take a minute. Think about what your Thanksgiving break looks like. Are there things that you do every year? Is there a specific food you’re looking forward to? Someone you’re excited to see? Maybe instead of going home, you’re having a Friendsgiving. Whatever your plans for Thanksgiving are, think about the things you’re excited for, or enjoy the most. Focus on those. It’ll make the next week and a half until then more enjoyable.