Back home in London, November is mostly just early darkness, wet leaves, and pretending Bonfire Night is more exciting than it actually is. Thanksgiving on the other hand simply doesn’t exist… so, what is this American holiday all about? Turkey? Pumpkin pie? Parades and football? I had only the vaguest ideas, mostly from movies and TV shows, and honestly, some of it seemed a little over-the-top. Yet here I am, an exchange student in California, getting ready to experience my very first Thanksgiving this year at my friend’s house in Walnut Creek. A Bay Area Thanksgiving. Am I excited? Slightly terrified? Definitely both.
From what I’ve gathered so far, this holiday is the Olympics of comfort food. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, and things involving cranberries. Full disclosure, I’m a vegetarian so I will not be wrestling a turkey leg any time soon, but I am intrigued by the rest. Everyone keeps mentioning stuffing and cranberry sauce as if those words alone should be comforting. Is cranberry sauce sweet or sour? Pumpkin pie sounds suspicious, yet oddly tempting. It feels like dessert pretending to be a vegetable, or maybe the other way around.
Growing up, I assumed Thanksgiving was basically a warm, golden filter from a sitcom. Big families gathered around a perfectly glazed roast, everyone smiling in coordinated sweaters and sharing heartfelt moments. Now I’m preparing myself for the real version, which I imagine includes last-minute grocery runs, slightly chaotic cooking, spirited debates and someone bringing a very strange casserole no one asked for. I’ve also learned about Friendsgiving, which sounds like Thanksgiving but with more chaos and less obligation. Americans really love this holiday enough to run it twice.
Beyond the food, there are other traditions I’m curious about. The idea of everyone going around the table saying what they are grateful for seems sweet, yet slightly intimidating. British people don’t typically burst into heartfelt vulnerability before pudding. I’m also bracing myself for American football in the background. I’ve been informed that understanding the rules is optional, so I plan on nodding seriously whenever someone yells at the TV. And yes, I’m aware the holiday has a complicated history, which makes me even more interested to see how people here talk about it and reflect on its meaning today.
Mostly though, I’m looking forward to meeting new people, trying classic dishes in their natural habitat, and learning the rules of American football well enough to nod along convincingly. I feel like this holiday will be one of those cultural moments that sticks with me for years to come. Maybe I’ll fall in love with pumpkin pie. Maybe cranberry sauce will be my downfall. Either way, it will be memorable.
So, here I am, preparing to taste, listen, learn and laugh my way through my first Thanksgiving. Wish me luck. If you see me after the holiday looking slightly dazed and holding a leftover Tupperware, just know I survived my great American initiation and probably loved it.