Thanksgiving literally means, day of giving thanks, so what are some traditions that have withstood the test of time?

1. Saying Grace:

Although not every family is religious, this is probably the most common tradition  in every household as the family expresses their thanks for numerous miracles that have taken place.

WMC senior Jill DiPietro says: “Each year a different member of my family says grace, we look forward to when my brother says it because he says: ‘thanks for the food, now let’s dig in!’, It’s really nice.”

    2) Home Cooked Meal:

Although families don’t raise the turkey, all the food is the product of the hard working mother, father and/or children who prepare the feast for enjoyment.

WMC senior John Lisankie says, “Everyone brings in home cooked food and we exchange it and eat it all at dinner.”

    3) Family Dinner:

Many have dinner with their family every night; this is an opportunity to spend some peaceful time and enjoy the company of your loved ones.

WMC senior Ben Berth says, “I go to my cousins for dinner and my dad’s for dessert; it’s really nice to get to see my whole family in one day.”

    4) Football and the Parade:

Although the pilgrims did not invent this aspect of the day, families tend to crowd around the TV to watch The Snoopy Float three stories above New York and watch bitter rivals like the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears go at it in a game that will become an instant classic.

WMC senior Jeff Millet says, “I like to have family over and watch the football game, mess around.”

    5) Seeing the Relatives:

Although families may get together often, this is a special time of rejoice and a way that families can connect with relatives that they may not get to see often.

WMC senior Brandon Walker says, “It’s a fun experience to see and connect with my family that I don’t see all of the time, on Thanksgiving”.