Trojan Thanksgiving Traditions
Family, food, and gratitude.
Because this year’s holiday break might be a lot different than we’re used to, Odyssey staffers reflect on the customs their families have passed down through the generations that define the season. You can also read about favorite Thanksgiving memories.
Lizzie DeLacy, senior: “My parents and I go to my uncle’s house. He lives on a farm on top of a mountain. My parents and I go early so we can help set up before anyone shows up. The moms are in the kitchen cooking, the dads are cooking the turkey, the little kids are running around playing, and the older kids are out riding dirt bikes or riding horses. It’s always fun to be around family that I don’t see all the time.”
Seth Holmes, senior: “On Thanksgiving night we have a prayer before we eat and once were all done eating, sometimes my family stays up all night.”
Alex Costa, senior: “We always go around the kids table and name one thing we are thankful for. We also pick names and decide who has each other for the Christmas white elephant game.”
Mei Chua, senior: “My favorite family tradition for Thanksgiving Break is announcing what we are grateful for before the Thanksgiving feast. We decorate for Christmas early, and I enjoy decorating with my family since it brings us all together. Another tradition we do is cook lobster during the family feast since we never buy lobster during the year.”
Emma Martin, junior: “My whole family will get together at my Grandma’s house. We have all kinds of food like tamales, turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, and yams covered in marshmallows. We all relax and play music while we talk and have a good time.”
Katelyn Masterson, senior: “We put up Christmas lights and decorations early while the weather is nice. Normally, the day after Thanksgiving we make turkey sandwiches with the leftover turkey, and it’s so good.”
Cynthia Steinbeck, senior: “My favorite family tradition for Thanksgiving would be deep-frying our turkey. It takes about two days to prepare it and dry it out enough to cook it. We also get a prime rib to cook as well, and I enjoy helping to cook it all along with side dishes.”
Elijah Jackson, sophomore: “My grandmother has a very diverse amount of recipes. I cannot name the amount of foods and desserts and such that I would have had no idea about beforehand! And that’s kind of what I enjoy the most about Thanksgiving.”
Jeremy Land, senior: “Basically, we cook good food all morning, then eat as much as possible between lunch and dinner times. For us kids, we basically have two Thanksgivings as my step sibling’s grandmother also holds a Thanksgiving meal on a different day just for us. There will be a lot of TV watching. Maybe football, and most likely some kind of movie.”
Carlos Rodriguez Santos, senior: “In my family, we have many traditions. My favorite one is all my family getting together. My mom and aunts always make the sides and the dessert while my uncles always make the meats for the dinner. They always make a turkey, ham, and the best for last, ribs. In Mexico, it is kind of tradition to give the younger kids presents on this day.”
Cheyenne Lara, senior: “Finding the wishbone in the turkey and breaking it and making a wish is my family’s one tradition. My nana has been making food for us every thanksgiving, and she’s been teaching me so that when I have Thanksgiving for my kids when I get older they can eat their grandma’s cooking that she taught me herself.”
Matthew McKenna, senior: “My favorite part about Thanksgiving is the fact that, for once, everyone is sitting around the table laughing and having a good time. Everyone is welcome to come over and just have a good time. I also love the food, obviously.”
