I love Thanksgiving. The air is perfectly crisp (it’s “sweater weather”), the food is warm and comforting, and, perhaps most importantly, the company is spectacular. Thanksgiving break is the perfect hiatus from school, allowing students to (ideally) take their minds off their completed midterms and the upcoming stress of finals.
I am fortunate enough to go home to New Jersey for the holiday. On the days leading up to Thanksgiving, my schedule is flexible; I spend time with my friends, catching up on our semesters and reminiscing about high school. I lounge in my bed, appreciating the mattress and size. And, I enjoy being in close proximity to Trader Joe’s and Chipotle.
On the fourth Thursday of November, however, my day is meticulously planned. No matter what time I went to bed the night before (known as “Blackout Wednesday”), I wake up at 6:00 a.m. to participate in a local turkey trot with my sister and hometown best friend. Once that is complete, I make my way home, feeling far more accomplished than the rest of my family. I shower and get ready, and then I head to the kitchen to help prepare for the day. My sister and I are assigned the highly regarded task of making a Thanksgiving drink. This year, we decided on two: a white sangria and a chai espresso martini.
The company — in the form of my grandparents, aunt, uncle, and other extended family members — starts arriving in the early afternoon. We say hello and begin life updates while indulging in snacks, appetizers, and drinks. At some point during this time, my sister and I escape to play Wii. If our grandparents follow, we make the four of them face off in an intense game of Mario Kart.
Around 4:00 p.m., we start my favorite tradition of the day: the family tree. My mom introduced this activity in 2017. For the first five years (until 2021), she emailed all attendees a list of five questions about two weeks before Thanksgiving, and each person selected three to answer. Some past questions include: What was your favorite memory from this year? What is something new that brings you joy? If you could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, who would it be? Everyone comes prepared with their answers, and we write each one down on a paper cutout along with our name and the year. This part is critical — it allows us to review our answers from previous years and think about those that are on the tree but are no longer with us in person (like my great-grandma). Once everyone has recorded their answers, we settle into couches and chairs and ottomans to share our answers aloud.
To keep things interesting, in recent years, my mom has changed the format of the questions. One time, she allowed participants to make up their own questions, and another time she looked to college applications for inspiration (I’m sure this is triggering for some people, but she is a college counselor, so it makes sense!). This year, there is a new twist. No preparation is required, and questions were not sent in advance; instead, questions come from the card game Tales, and we have to answer on the spot (with no trade-ins).
Regardless of the logistics, the fundamental aspects of the Liebman family tree tradition remain the same. It is a time for us to come together as a group and reflect on our past year, sharing laughs and tears and celebrating our gratitude for one another.
I was curious whether other people had similar Thanksgiving experiences. One student (who would like to stay anonymous) told me about an annual family competition. He explained, “Whoever wins in a given year has to create a game for the following year.” Some especially notable years involved Jenga, a spelling bee, and Jeopardy. What started out as an adult-only activity has become a full-group tradition as the kids of the family got older. Despite the competitive nature of the tradition, the student said it is a fun activity that brings everyone together and has them looking forward to Thanksgiving every year.
Amelia Hanscom `27 also told me about her day, which starts at 7:00 a.m. with the FeasterFive turkey trot. Her family has been doing this for almost twenty years. Hanscom describes it as fun and rationalizes, “It feels good being active in the morning knowing we will stuff our faces later.” Then, they watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade while simultaneously making turkeys out of Ritz crackers, chocolate frosting, and candy corn. After the parade comes the National Dog Show, followed by hours of trivia and a game of family football. Around 4:00 p.m., the feast starts with Hanscom’s mom’s famous egg noodles. And, the night does not end there; family members then “get plastered” and go see a movie (this year’s movie is Wicked: For Good).
Returning to my family, after the tree activity (which I have seen take two hours), it is time for dinner. We all sit at the table together, eating sweet potatoes and marshmallows, quiche, cornbread, and of course, turkey (unless you are a vegetarian like me). After dinner comes dessert. Then, we say our goodbyes. Everyone returns home feeling larger than when they arrived, but also more emotionally fulfilled and content. And, just like that, I am left waiting another year until the Thanksgiving traditions recommence.
Each family seems to have a unique schedule and/or tradition on Thanksgiving. These activities remind us of and enable us to exhibit our gratitude for each other through both words and actions. I think that is what makes the holiday so special and is ultimately the reason why I love Thanksgiving.
~ Jadyn Liebman `26
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