TRADITIONS: Poly Spotlight staff writers share their unique Thanksgiving traditions.
By Kate Santoso, Editor
It’s two days before Thanksgiving and families everywhere are already preparing the mouthwatering dishes and savory delicacies that will soon adorn the dining room table. As a cherished national holiday, Americans of all different ethnicities gather to celebrate and give thanks for the harvest and the preceding year. Writers of The Poly Spotlight individually share their family traditions and describe what makes Thanksgiving special to them.
Staff writer Alex Flores (10) describes her typical Thanksgiving routine and traditional American dishes that her family prepares. “Every year on Thanksgiving, my mom and I watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” Flores said. “We make ham instead of a turkey because my brother and I aren’t huge fans of turkey. Along with the ham, we make mashed potatoes, biscuits, and stuffing. We usually buy a pumpkin pie and an apple pie as well,” Flores said.
Editor Michelle Boulos (12) describes her family’s Thanksgiving routine. “I usually start the day by dragging my whole family out of bed to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Later in the day, we go to my aunt’s house; walking in, we are greeted by a long table reaching across the family and dining room, with seats for about 25 people. We hear the sounds of laughter and yelling from the adults, as the TV in the background blares either a movie or a sports game,” Boulos said.
Besides the conventional mouth-watering dishes of food we often associate Thanksgiving with, some Poly families have unique annual traditions on this day of thanks. Ben Diguglielmo’s (9) family values the things they are most grateful for by creating a Thanksgiving tree.
“One of my family’s traditions for celebrating Thanksgiving is the Thanksgiving tree. Every year, we make a cardboard tree with little hooks on it. On Thanksgiving, everyone hangs three pieces of paper, with something they are thankful for written on it, on the tree,” Staff writer Diguglielmo said.
Some Poly students celebrate Thanksgiving in unconventional ways. “We once watched the first Hunger Games movie at a theater and then ate at a steakhouse nearby. We had so much fun that year that we continued doing it every year. Every year, we watch the Hunger Games and then eat appetizers at a steakhouse all night,” Staff writer Cameron Brewer (11) said.
Other Poly students have extensive, large families and visit two houses every Thanksgiving. “Every Thanksgiving, I go to two dinners. On Thanksgiving day, my family and I go to my Nana and Papa’s house. The day after Thanksgiving, I go to my Tía Patsy’s house where I spend Thanksgiving with my uncle Eric, my aunt Julie, and my cousin Emmie,” Staff writer Maxen Olvera (9) said.
Whether you’re celebrating Thanksgiving miles from home, at your local steakhouse, or traveling between households, The Poly Spotlight wishes the Poly and Riverside community a safe, unforgettable Thanksgiving.