Reflecting on Traditions

Thanksgiving traditions vary across the country—what are yours?

Growing up, my sister Nici and I always had the Thanksgiving tradition of watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in our pajamas, drinking hot tea, and keeping a detailed record of which stars from our favorite shows made “Happy Thanksgiving” promos that aired during the commercial breaks. The cast from The Dukes of Hazzard scored bonus points!

Especially as we grew older, our family’s Thanksgiving tradition was to dine out and then see a movie. It was perfect, because my Mom worked 40+ hours per week and deserved a day off herself! And even though we were all stuffed to the gills afterward, we’d each get a small popcorn at the movie theater. We could not resist the temptation brought on by the delicious smell of popping corn and melted butter.

After moving away, I forged new traditions with friends in the different areas I lived. (Flying home could be pretty expensive, so I usually opted for Christmas vs. Thanksgiving.) But this year is different! I am thrilled to be going home for Thanksgiving for the first time in 14 years. Nici and I have already discussed watching the Parade in our PJs, but we’ll likely have coffee instead of tea, and I doubt we’ll keep track of any promos.

I can’t wait to be home with my family, enjoy a lovely dinner out, and then see a movie. Is our tradition strange? To some people, yes. I asked a few friends about their Thanksgiving traditions, and I loved the answers. Here are a few:

• Brandon in Washington builds a new Lego set with his daughter while watching the Parade. The rule is that they can’t sing any Christmas songs until Santa comes down Herald Square. And after dinner, the family plays card games over drinks.
• For the past 17 years, Lisa and her husband in Ohio flip a coin to see which one must get out of bed to make the coffee and cinnamon rolls. Then they watch the parade in their pajamas while enjoying their treats.
• Tres in Colorado joins his family for pre- and post-dinner weigh-ins. This Thanksgiving tradition started in the 1980s and began with a prize for who could eat the most. The average gained? About 4.5 pounds in one sitting.

Notice a common thread? It’s all about family. And so from our family to yours, have a wonderful holiday!