With Thanksgiving around the corner, there are more discussions among peers about how they’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving this year. From traditional turkey and cornbread to gumbo and cookouts, and even just not celebrating at all, everyone’s holiday traditions should be celebrated and appreciated. After all, diversity is one of Shadow Ridge’s greatest features.

So what Thanksgiving traditions can be found around Shadow Ridge?

Junior Madison Woodard said, “My family likes to decorate for Christmas on Thanksgiving Day. It’s how we welcome the holidays. We also like to choose names for Secret Santa. Then we have most of December to choose gifts.”

With the excitement for the holidays that peeks around the corner right when Thanksgiving day ends, it’s safe to say many families immediately move on to preparing for the holiday spirit. Even the popular American store, Macy’s, partakes in their own Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade every Thanksgiving, which garnered over 20 million viewers in 2020. A lot of work goes into the Macy’s Thanksgivings Day Parade, including over 4,200 costumes, 50,000 hours of labor, and surprisingly 300 pounds of glitter that gets sprinkled on the costumes, floats and other things. However, not only is the parade for the entertainment of millions, it also raises money for various charities such as Meals-on-Wheels and is supported by the helpful work of over 4,500 volunteers.

Another factor of Thanksgiving seem to be the preparation that goes into the food and gathering of family. Senior Melanie Rodriguez says about her routine, “[Well] my mom and I usually wake up early and watch the parade and make the food for everyone. Then we usually forget something so then we have to go to the store and buy the stuff we need and after HOURS of work we all get ready for Thanksgiving and watch the football game. We have our family and friends over; basically we have like an open house for everyone and eat.”

Food is one of (if not THE) biggest staple of Thanksgiving, aside from the theme of thankfulness. Not every family eats turkey, either! Alternatives to turkey include, but aren’t limited to beef-wellington, roasted tenderloin, gumbo, seafood, and many other options!

No matter how students may choose to celebrate Thanksgiving, it’s still important to remember that the idea of the holiday is to find and give thankfulness to the things that life gives. One of those wonderful things just happens to be the friends and family that has been built in Shadow Ridge High School throughout the years.