As the fall weather begins of many holidays during the season has many people on the edge of their seats — Thanksgiving. The holiday is a popular time of year for many, with the most notable tradition being a big meal with family or friends. According to Winsight Grocery Business, during Thanksgiving, 62% of Americans say they prepare Thanksgiving meals with family, while 15% do so with friends.

Despite the heartwarming aspect of this holiday, it is also considered a time of chaos. Usually, the week of this holiday is the time when people go crazy trying to buy groceries and prepare for the big dinner. The preparation process can get busy.

“It’s hard to work with everybody else in the kitchen,” FHS senior Aliyah Hopkins said. “It’s a challenge because I have a small kitchen so it’s like three people in the kitchen at once trying to make three different things.” 

The typical Thanksgiving dinner includes traditional foods like turkey, stuffing, gravy, sweet potatoes, cornbread, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce. For dessert, a variation of seasonal pie is served, oftentimes either a crispy apple pie or a soft and chewy pumpkin pie. 

Apart from the delicacies of Thanksgiving, there is also a wide variety of enjoyable activities around this warm and cozy time of year. In the Bay Area, especially, there are several family-friendly activities that bring families together for the Thanksgiving spirit. San Francisco, for example, will hold its annual Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving day, Nov. 23, 2023, in which participants will engage in physical activity and see particularly special views of the famous Golden Gate Bridge. 

Alongside the food and activities, the appeal of Thanksgiving lies in the connections it forms.  Students at FHS use Thanksgiving to escape from the stress of school and to spend time with family and friends. There are several different activities that are typically done during this time of year that reward people with enjoyment and glee. 

“I like being around my family from all over and being able to really talk to them,” FHS senior Britney Arreola said. “I feel like really talking to your family and engaging with them over Thanksgiving is super important, eating lots of food, really having that sense of family within that time because you only have so long to see them.” 

It is important to spend the holidays with those who make people feel safe, loved and included. Some ways to hang out with loved ones are by cooking a bunch of food with them and wearing cute fall outfits together. Thanksgiving is one of those times where everyone can indulge in happiness and be able to express themselves. Family is, of course, the biggest importance during Thanksgiving and is always brought together during these times of the year. Family for many people consists of not only those with blood relations, but family can also stem from the people that one is most surrounded by and laughs the most with. 

As the weather gets cooler, outfit details most certainly change in order to keep people warm. The term cozy is most commonly used to describe outfits during this time of year. 

“We usually stay home and my mom and my godmother cook a lot of food. There’s tamales, posole, gorditas,” Arreola said. “Half the day I’m in cute little pajamas, little fall pajamas but then when it comes [time] to eat and stuff I’ll put on some cute little flared jeans like a cardigan or a sweater vest. I’ll usually put my hair down in curls with a little clip in the back, that’s usually what I’ll wear for Thanksgiving.”

With Thanksgiving being right around the corner, everyone is prepared with their foods, outfits, and are ready to hang out with friends. Even though all the foods and activities are enjoyable, the true importance of Thanksgiving is its focus on honoring and showing appreciation for the closest people in one’s life.