Thanksgiving: Family Traditions

In the USA, people celebrate the Thanksgiving in many different ways, but the overwhelming theme of these celebrations is family. Families get together on this day and spend time eating, playing games, watching TV, hiking, napping, telling stories, etc. In this post I'm going to share with you some typical traditions and tell

Travel - Lots of people travel on this holiday - they drive or fly to visit extended family members far away

Feast - Eating is a big part of Thanksgiving, and some foods are known as the "Thanksgiving meal". The Turkey is the most famous, but many families may also eat fried chicken and/or ham. Common foods include mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potato casserole, stuffing (a bread-based mixture that is baked inside the turkey), corn casserole, salads, bread and rolls, various appetizers, and lots of deserts including apple pie, pumpkin pie, and spice cakes.

Watch TV - Football games and the traditional Macy's Day Parade run in the background of most Thanksgiving celebrations. People lounge around the TV and often end up taking naps to sleep off the effects of overeating.

Break the Wishbone - The Y-shaped bone of the turkey's breast is shared between two people who each take one side in their hands and then, on the count of three, they pull it apart. The person who get's the larger piece is said to have his/her wishes come true on that day.

Verbalize Thanks - As the family gathers around the table, people may take turns speaking out loud a list of things for which they are grateful.

Get Ready for Christmas - Many families choose not to buy many gifts at Christmas time, but instead buy only one gift for one person. To make it even and fair, family members will exchange names to decide who each one will buy a gift for. So Thanksgiving day is the time to draw names and make this choice. Another thing people often do either on Thanksgiving day or the next day, is to decorate the house for Christmas. Doing it together as a family makes the big job more fun.

Serve a Thanksgiving Meal - Instead of cooking and eating at home, some families will go to a local homeless shelter or food center and work to cook and serve food to people who are in need.

Make Crafts - Tables are filled with crafting supplies and people may spend the afternoon making crafts that can then be used as Christmas decorations. They might also work on a puzzle or play board games.

Prepare for BLACK FRIDAY - Check back tomorrow for information about this crazy part of the American Thanksgiving!