Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has always been one of those fun holidays for my family and I. It's that time of the year when we connect with each other, talk about our lives, and discuss the events or issues on the rise these days. We're not a religious family, but since my sisters and I were little, we have always shared the things we are thankful for. The focus for our family on Thanksgiving is to maintain our relationships with each other and to know that there are always some things we should give thanks to. These things range from family to something in our personal lives that positively affected us in some way. I don't remember this as much, but when we were kids, my sisters and I would place paper-made feathers on the turkey with different messages of the things we're thankful for. Nowadays, one of my sisters will come home every other year or so to celebrate with us. As much as we would love to have them both home, my parents recognize my sisters have their own lives and are bound to make others plans.
As far as traditions go, there are only a couple customs my family practices on Thanksgiving. Some years we'll have turkey with gravy, potatoes, and vegetables, while on other Thanksgivings, my parents will cook up a different recipe for that night. My dad carves up the turkey and my mom will make a couple special desserts for afterwards - both which are longtime Thanksgiving traditions for men and women. Other than that, we're generally laid back about how we want to celebrate Thanksgiving. Once, my dad was on the board of the San Jose Family Shelter and the family had three Thanksgiving dinners there with the shelter's residents. It was a nice treat to dine with those less fortunate than us, as I'm sure it was for them to celebrate Thanksgiving with the people who provided a roof over their families' heads.