Art by Samantha Dunn

Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving with a large, delectable turkey or a simple TV dinner with family, Thanksgiving traditions come in all shapes and sizes. 

From 1621 to 2023, our celebrations and thankfulness have grown exponentially. It is safe to say that many of us find the food to be the star of the show. From planning to preparing, the meal is what brings many together. On an average American dining table, you tend to find cuisines such as a dressed-up turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole and beloved mashed potatoes, but not everybody uses these foods to celebrate, and this is entirely normal. 

 Grady Porter, a current junior attending Tualatin High School (TuHS), has some exciting dishes of his own. 

“My favorite Thanksgiving dish is steak and shrimp. My family doesn’t really eat turkey or ham. We have ham, but nobody really eats it, so we have steak and shrimp. And we have this potato thing with cream and cheese,” Porter said. 

Some of us could never imagine not having a turkey on Thanksgiving, and that’s what makes family celebrations so special. 

Just like for all holidays, everyone has their unique twists and creative customs that make the celebration their own. Some of the most common traditions are family puzzle-solving, watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and reminiscing on home videos of the past. Thanksgiving is a day meant to be full of gratitude, abundance and love; people can find these things in all sorts of ways. 

Jakoby Johnson, another TuHS student, shares a tradition of his own. 

“We go and play football in the street, on the concrete,” Johnson said. “People usually get hurt. It’s awesome. The old people in my family try really hard and they get hurt. Like my dad cut his toe open last time. It was sick.”

This is another prime example of just how many things people do that make holidays unique to them. 

Traditions are practices or customs usually passed down from past family generations or people with a large influence on you. The fact that there aren’t strict guidelines defining what traditions people can celebrate is what makes Thanksgiving, and any other holiday, a personal and special festivity to all those who commemorate it.

Ultimately, Thanksgiving can mean a lot of things to people. From the zesty flavors of the food you eat to the little lovely things you do with your family, it’s the perfect time to embrace the love around you. As you gather in your homes, unified by your quirky customs, be reminded of the timelessness and gratitude that come with the traditions you love.