With midterms behind us and fall finally beginning to settle in, the students of Fairfield University only have one thing on their minds—Thanksgiving break! With this being the first official school closing of the year, many Stags are excited to go home, visit family and friends and celebrate not having to complete essays a day before they’re due. But, how do people celebrate Thanksgiving? After interviewing several fellow classmates, I’ve discovered the many different traditions and customs that Stags gobble up on Thanksgiving!
When people think of “Thanksgiving,” the first thing that comes to mind is the feast itself. When asked what is usually served at the big dinner, most people answered with cranberry sauce, various different types of casseroles and, of course, turkey. The number one food on the menu, however, was actually stuffing, with every person I interviewed naming it as one the foods they will eat on Thanksgiving. Also, despite turkey being a staple in every meal, most people agreed that it is their least favorite food present at dinner. Freshman Haley Bosselait said that she actually substitutes turkey with chicken because it is so unpopular in her family. Another said that her family scraps turkey altogether since they’re vegetarian and eat pizza as the main food of choice instead. The most unique option I heard was a “tofurkey,” or turkey made out of tofu.
While deciding what to actually eat on Thanksgiving is crucial, choosing where and who to share the meal with is equally as important. Most of the people I talked to said that they were most looking forward to going to a relative’s house or hosting so that they could reunite with family over a meal. One girl even mentioned that she would be hosting the Thanksgiving dinner for fifty of her family members! Overall, seeing family was the number one reason why people were excited for Thanksgiving, followed closely by a second reason—the Christmas season officially starting! Many people had traditions on Thanksgiving closely tied to Christmas. Some of these customs include Christmas cookie baking, sharing gift lists with parents and relatives, watching Christmas movies at night and even setting up and decorating the tree. Haley Branflick from the Class of 2028 said that one special tradition she celebrates every year is that her relatives give a unique ornament to her and her cousins. Many others, however, are just excited for the break and to have some time to spend on themselves and with friends at home.
Overall, the students of Fairfield are excited to be able to go home, sleep in their own beds and reunite with family and friends over good food. While many are still looking forward to the true freedom Christmas will bring, don’t worry. It will be Christmas break before you know it!
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