When I was younger, Thanksgiving was so exciting. Halloween had just passed, I was getting ready to have class parties in school, preparing for a yummy dinner with all of my extended family, and Christmas was right around the corner. Everything is quite different now.
Until I was about 14, Thanksgiving used to involve a large group. There were two separate Thanksgiving celebrations between my dad’s side and my mom’s side. My mom’s side included my grandparents, aunts and uncles, their grandparents, my cousins, and my siblings. This dinner was usually held on Thanksgiving day. Then, until I was about 10 or 11 my dad’s side would hold a Thanksgiving lunch/dinner the day after with his grandparents, my aunts and uncles, cousins, and my siblings. Ever since I turned 15, it has just been my immediate family and grandparents.
When it was a larger group of people, the dinner used to be held at my aunt’s house. It was like a potluck dinner, everyone would bring their own dish. Now that it’s a smaller group of people, we hold Thanksgiving at our house and we make most of the dishes. My grandparents will usually bring a dessert or side dish and my half-brother will bring drinks, but other than that, it’s just the main food.
When I was younger, Thanksgiving celebrations used to be an all-day event. We would head to my aunt’s house at around 10 or 11 a.m., from when the turkey first goes in the oven, to the end of the night when we would begin our Black Friday shopping journey. Recently, my grandparents don’t even get to our house until around 3 or 4 p.m., and we’re all settled and in bed by 11 p.m. or midnight.
A big difference that I’ve noticed over the years is how the holiday is celebrated. When I was younger, the time leading up to Thanksgiving was exciting. Several things that we did in class the whole week leading up to the break were Thanksgiving-themed and there were even Thanksgiving class parties the last day. When I think of Thanksgiving now, I just think of a break from school. It’s not so much a holiday to be celebrated, but instead a break from everyday life.
Lastly, what I’m thankful for has shifted over time. Many are still the same, like my family, my friends, a roof above my head, and the food on my plate. But when we’re younger, that’s all we really think to be grateful for. Now, my list would go much further in depth. For example, I would now add things such as my education, a healthy body, being able to see and hear, entertainment (books and music), my general freedom, and so much more.
Thanksgiving now is very different for me than it was growing up. Though things are different, they are not necessarily negative. I do my best to embrace what I have in my life. I could not be more thankful for the chance that I was given to exist in this lifetime.