Not so traditional Thanksgiving traditions

With the start of the holiday season this Thanksgiving comes the busiest time of the year. Along with all the family bonding and home decorating comes the rush of presents and yearly traditions. We’ve heard about the largely recognized Thanksgiving traditions- like elementary schools having a lay with the Pilgrims and the Indians- but here are some of the not-s0-everyday traditions students around Robinson have.

Kaitlyn Patterson (’20), shared some of her family traditions that come along with the holiday season.

“We do a talent show with all the grand-kids where they show off what they think is the best about them. We also have a turkey cook off against all of the grandparents,” Patterson said.

The winner of the children’s talent show receive a small celebratory trophy, and the acts within the show range from singing to dancing to a set of magic tricks.

The family also eats the traditional foods such as stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy, with a turkey centerpiece. Their family has put their own twist on this main dish by creating a competition between the adults for top chef. In this show down, the children and those not participating decide the winner.

Thanksgiving is not just about the turkey though; it’s about the time spent with loved ones and the laughs shared with family and friends. This statement is especially true for another Robinson student, whose entire family celebrates a meat-free holiday.

Amelia Ihrig (’20) and her relatives are all vegetarians. Although this holiday involves a lot of meat-related foods, they still get into the Thanksgiving hype.

“My dad makes a terrine instead of a turkey. It’s like a meat loaf, but it’s not meat, it’s made of vegetables and legumes, beans, cheese, and cashews.” Ihrig said.

The Ihrig family has also formed a traditional involving their pet dogs.

“So we have our dining room, and the dogs try to run in there and get the food off the table, so we take turns shoo’ing them out and chasing them around, and it’s kind of a game, because they run around the whole house,” Ihrig said.

Thanksgiving traditions, whether they are ones that lots of families celebrate, or are more outside the box like the ones featured here, are worth holding onto. They mean something to the people who keep them going and can draw families closer together.