Back in 1621, our forefathers descended upon this new nation with little knowledge of the hardships that the new world would bring forth. Among these hardships included famine, disease, harsh weather, and lack of food. When the Plymouth colonists did land upon the shores they were met by very suspicious Native Americans, specifically the Wampanoag tribe. Both colonies shared an autumn feast to express friendship and peace in what today we all know as Thanksgiving.

According to Nationalgeographic.com, some of the most well-known American Thanksgiving traditions include traditional foods such as turkey, corn, sweet potatoes, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and some more famous deserts for this day include pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie, and apple pie. One well-recognized tradition is the breaking of the “wish bone” or the turkey’s sternum, between two people, and whoever gets the bigger half gets to make a wish.

Thanksgiving is not only a time for food, but a time for family and coming together to share memories with those who you love, and those aspects of the holiday are what make it a day of thankfulness.

Students Tyler Harzinski, Kyler Rosinsky, and Lexi Mayhew shared their holiday traditions by responding to the following:

What kind of food does your family have on Thanksgiving Day?

Tyler – “Turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and meatball subs.”

Kyler – “Turkey, noodles, mashed potatoes, pie, and corn.”

Lexi – “Every year on Thanksgiving, we have ham, turkey, stuffing, and other things like that.”

Do you get up early in the morning to watch/help your parents cook?

Tyler – “No, I get a lot of sleep so I’m alert for all the food.”

Kyler – “No, I go to my grandma’s to eat.”

Lexi – “I get up and help my mom cook.”

Do you watch any Thanksgiving Day Parade?

Tyler – “No, that’s wasting precious food-eating time.”

Kyler – “Yes, with my family in the morning.”

Lexi – “Yeah, my mom and I watch it together.”

Have you ever gotten stuck eating at “the kids’ table” during Thanksgiving dinner?

Tyler – “No, never, big kids sit at the big table.”

Kyler – “Yes, between my little brothers sometimes.”

Lexi – “No, not really; we don’t have a kids’ table.”

What are some of your favorite foods to eat on Thanksgiving?

Tyler – “Ham, mashed potatoes, and gravy.”

Kyler – “Mashed potatoes and turkey.”

Lexi – “Stuffing, apple pie, and corn.”