Senior Abigail Waterman swaps forks for chopsticks, picking up new Thanksgiving customs
By Violet Smith-Beehler / Staff Reporter
Instead of gravy, soy sauce is out on senior Abigail Waterman’s Thanksgiving table. Chopsticks are used instead of forks and turkey is nowhere in sight.
Waterman said her Thanksgiving meal isn’t a traditional dinner with mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce.
“Every year for Thanksgiving, me and my mom’s side of the family have sushi for dinner,” she explained. “If we do have side dishes, it’s from a sushi restaurant.”
Her family orders the food from the same restaurant, Mr. Sushi, every year, Waterman said. Her maternal grandparents started the tradition, and there are a few reasons why her mom’s side takes a different approach to Thanksgiving, she added.
“They’ve never been big cooks, and most of them are vegetarian, so they don’t eat turkey,” she said. “Also, most of them don’t like that type of food.”
On the other hand, Waterman said her dad’s side of the family celebrates a more traditional holiday, but she doesn’t usually spend it with them.
“If we were to celebrate with them, it would be a typical Thanksgiving, but my grandparents who organize it don’t live in Ohio, so it’s not often we get to celebrate a typical Thanksgiving,” she explained.
Although Waterman’s Thanksgiving meal is different from what’s expected, her family does incorporate an aspect of the holiday that’s familiar to many, she added.
“We always say one thing we’re grateful for as we’re eating,” Waterman said.
As an adult, her traditions will probably resemble more of a classic Thanksgiving, because sometimes she feels as though she’s missing out on the holiday’s signature food, Waterman added.
“I’m a really big fan of Thanksgiving food,” she said.
Despite the fact that Waterman isn’t planning to continue the tradition into adulthood, she said she still appreciates it.
“We’ve been doing it as long as I can remember,” she explained. “It’s a significant thing we do.”
Senior Carly Hanin lights up Thanksgiving traditions with neon-themed family gatherings
By Violet Smith-Beehler / Staff Reporter
Almost everyone has been to a themed birthday party or dance, but a Thanksgiving dinner is less likely.
For senior Carly Hanin, however, Thanksgiving is more than just a meal at the table: it’s a fun and creative way for her family to come together.
Hanin said her family had traditional Thanksgiving dinners until the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when their Thanksgiving was put on hold.
“Those two years we didn’t have Thanksgiving because it was hard to see family,” she explained.
In 2022, her family started celebrating the holiday again, but they didn’t want to take the same approach, Hanin said.
She explained the celebration is more tailored to what everyone in her family enjoys, since traditional Thanksgiving food isn’t their favorite.
“The past two years, we’ve done a different theme of Thanksgiving so it appeals to everybody,” she said.
Hanin explained the celebration is usually held at her house. The theme for their first non-traditional Thanksgiving was Italian, she added.
“Everyone was in charge of bringing a different type of sauce,” she explained. “My family made all the pastas, and then my aunt, uncle and grandparents all made sauces.”
Hanin said the next year, her family hosted an even more creative neon-themed Thanksgiving dinner.
“My mom set up black lights in our living room area, and we got face paint,” she said. “While we were eating, we got to paint on our table.”
Hanin said the non-traditional celebrations play an important role in her life.
“It makes me grateful for what I have right in front of me: my family,” she added.
Junior Javier Diez’s grandma establishes tradition with festive Thanksgiving pilgrim garments
By Cory Phillips / Staff Reporter
Thanksgiving is typically about food and family, but junior Javier Diez and his family gather for annual dinner and a show.
For the holiday, Diez’s grandma comes from Massachusetts and stays for a few days, he explained. During her visit, she debuts her costumes for family dinner and picture, he said.
“My grandma, for close to two decades now, has worn a pilgrim outfit to Thanksgiving dinner every year,” he explained.
Diez said the outfit is supposed to resemble Abigail Williams from “The Crucible.” This tradition has been going on for a while, dating back to before he was born, he added.
Diez explained despite the long and ongoing tradition, the fashion show only lasts for a few hours.
“Obviously, she’s not going to wear something like that for the whole day,” he said.
His grandma is the only one who participates in the Thanksgiving dress-up tradition, pioneering the event for the entire family to celebrate and look forward to, he said.
The rest of the family dresses “like average Americans,” he added.
Thanksgiving is a special holiday for his grandmother, as it is the only holiday in which she dresses up, Diez added.
He wasn’t born yet when this tradition started, so Diez can only guess what witnessing her costume was like the first time, he explained.
“Maybe one year she was like ‘Oh maybe it would be fun if I did this,’ and it just stuck, like, for decades,” he said.
Diez attempted to ask his grandma why she decided to make such a statement at their family gatherings.
“She said, ‘I’m just trying to get into the Thanksgiving spirit,’” he added.
Intervention specialist Jon Roberson’s family scores big with annual Thanksgiving football game
By Cory Phillips / Staff Reporter
Family and football: America’s favorite pastimes are combined at intervention specialist Jon Robertson’s family tradition.
Many families typically watch football during the fall, but Robertson’s family takes it a step further, hosting an annual game on Thanksgiving, he explained. He said his family’s dedication knows no bounds, playing through any condition.
“We may not be out there as long if it’s rainy, cold and muddy, but no matter what, we at least go out,” Robertson said.
The tradition has been passed down for many years, with the entire family having participated, he said. He added the tradition began long before he was born.
“It’s been going on at least 42 years because my parents took me even when I was a baby to watch,” he said.
With his entire family ranging from ages 3 to 60 participating, he explained rules have to be set in place in order to run smoothly. Specifically, he added one rule in particular is designed to include the younger children.
“All the little kids under 10 always get to score a touchdown,” he said. “They make sure of that.”
Despite the wide age range between players, Robertson explained the games still tend to become highly competitive. Another rule to sustain the fairness is alternating between levels of competitiveness, he added.
“Older players will sometimes act as referees in order to stay involved once they are too old to get rough,” he said.
The game is always initiated by Robertson’s cousin, who makes the teams and keeps track of points, he explained.
“They’re big Cleveland Browns fans, so usually his team’s the Browns and the other team’s usually the Steelers or Ravens,” Robertson said. “It’s always a close game, and his team always wins.”
