Thanksgiving was always the same for my family. Everyone gathered at my grandparents' house. We waited not so patiently for everyone to come with their food. The same old conversations were held, such as how school and volleyball were going. Finally, everyone was gathered, my sister and I lead prayers, and we raced off to get food onto our plate, which included Mama's Macaroni and Cheese. We would wait for about 30 minutes and talk, then go get dessert and fill our faces more. This is how I recall my Thanksgiving tradition up until about five years ago, when my idea of tradition changed, though I didn't want it to.

My grandmother, Lulu, was growing older and she couldn't handle preparing her house and the food anymore. My aunt and uncle decided to start having Thanksgiving at their house. I was nervous for that Thanksgiving. Where would we sit? Would everyone still cook? Would the conversations be the same? Would everyone in my family attend? Who would say prayers? I was very worried about my Thanksgiving tradition, but it turned out that I didn't need to worry at all. 

chicken
Parisa Soraya

We arrived to my aunt and uncle's house, and everything looked different. Though it was different, it was still somewhat the same. We weren't at the big dining room table, but we still ate together as a family. The food was placed differently, but we still stuffed our faces. I sat with different family, but still had the "same-old, same-old" conversations at the dinner table. The food and desserts were unbelievable, and I had an absolutely great time. From this experience, I learned that Thanksgiving is more than just traditions.

turkey, chicken, duck, goose
Morgan Goldberg

Traditions are important. My traditional Thanksgiving still means a lot to me, but I've learned that Thanksgiving isn't necessarily all about traditions. It's about spending time with people you love, eating as much food as possible, and being thankful for what and who you have. Traditions are good to be kept, but don't be afraid to start new traditions. I hope all you turkeys have a great Thanksgiving. Happy eats, and enjoy plentiful leftovers