By Lauren Antkowiak Thanksgiving has sort of fallen to the wayside is recent years. Everyone wants to jump right into the Christmas holiday without properly celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday. With stores being open for Black Friday earlier and earlier, some even dubbing it Grey Thursday, there is...

By Lauren Antkowiak

Thanksgiving has sort of fallen to the wayside is recent years. Everyone wants to jump right into the Christmas holiday without properly celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday. With stores being open for Black Friday earlier and earlier, some even dubbing it Grey Thursday, there is no time to sit down and really enjoy this holiday. I personally love Thanksgiving and I think it is time to bring it back and its time-honored traditions.

For me, the most important part of Thanksgiving is the people you spend it with. Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year which just goes to show how people make the effort to spend it with loved ones. Once you are all together, find things to do and ways to connect with those you don’t see as often. Watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or one of the various football games is a good way to relax and catch up with each other. A tradition with my family is to watch Thanksgiving themed episodes of our favorite T.V. shows. Other great bonding moments include getting outside for some fresh fall air, such as playing a friendly game of football in the yard or going for walks after dinner.

Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie are just a few of the staple of a Thanksgiving dinner. Many use recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. Others stick to the traditional menu but add something that’s unique to their family. Since the dinner table is at the center of the day, many have special centerpieces or tablecloths that they use each year. There were a lot of kids in my family growing up and we couldn’t all fit at the same table. So, the tradition in my family was to have a separate kids table. We continue this tradition even now that we are older to have time with just us kids.

Other traditions are independent from family and the Thanksgiving dinner. Early in the day many cities host the annual Turkey Trot. This has been a popular Thanksgiving Day event in Buffalo, with it taking place again this year at 9:00 am on Delaware Avenue. Thanksgiving is the official kickoff to Christmas, so after giving their all to Thanksgiving and those traditions, some immediately start their Christmas traditions. In my house, we watch our first Christmas movie of the season as everyone relaxes after eating too much. For others it means putting up the Christmas tree or other décor.

Whatever your tradition, focus on it this year and appreciate the time you can spend with your loved ones. Create new memories and maybe even some new traditions that you can pass down to the next generation.