THE FOOD: I’m pretty sure this tops everyone’s list. There is nothing better than my mother’s homemade rolls or sweet potato, apple casserole. Some people say calories don’t exist on vacation, but I’d like to add that they also don’t exist on Thanksgiving or Christmas. I may consume 5,000 calories in one sitting, but hey, at least my stomach is happy.
The smells: I guess this one kind of goes with the food since most of the smells originate from the kitchen, but I’d argue that the smells of Thanksgiving deserve their own category. For me, I correlate Thanksgiving with the quintessential fall smell. The aroma of pumpkin and mashed potatoes and turkey fills the air and everything is so crisp and delicious.
A time-out: Even though Thanksgiving falls right before finals for most college students, it’s still a welcome reprieve from the constant touch-and-go of my daily life. For a few short days the real world doesn’t exist and even the threat of an upcoming test or paper can’t put a damper on the holiday spirit.
Seeing old friends: As much as I love my college friends, it’s always nice to reconnect with people from home. Those few friends that I’ve managed to stay close with are very dear to me and Thanksgiving offers the first time since the summer that I get to see them.
The holiday spirit: When I think of Thanksgiving, a few things come to mind: the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, football, pie, leaves of every color, and family bonding. Although I only ever catch glimpses of the parade, I’m not that into football, my mom makes an apple cake instead of pie and most Thanksgiving holidays are spent only with my immediate family, I still like the connotations that come with the fourth Thursday of November.
Family time: Ultimately my favorite part of Thanksgiving is spending time with my family. It’s one of the few times of the year when none of us are burdened by daily activities or the stress of the holiday like we are at Christmas. Thanksgiving is simply a time when we can come together and put everything else aside. I don’t think Thanksgiving would be the same without my crazy, dysfunctional family and my two favorite dogs to come home to.