Thanksgiving is the time of year where family and friends gather around to enjoy each other’s company and celebrate their own unique traditions. Whether it’s a festive meal or a family game night, every household has a special holiday tradition.

“Every Thanksgiving my family reads a verse from the bible before we start eating as a way to thank God for family, friends, and basically everything.” freshman Bethany Rivera said. “Also the oldest grandkid that’s there reads the verse, which is usually me.”

Religion influences many family traditions around the holidays, but some traditions are just about being with loved ones. Junior Autumn Quast’s family is an example of this.

“Our Thanksgiving plans have kind of changed, but we used to go to North Carolina every year to see our friends,” said Quast. “I love being with my friends and family.”

Part of the holiday season is having festive fun, which is exactly how sophomore Emily Haney enjoys Thanksgiving. 

“We play board games after dinner and watch movies together,” Haney said. “My favorite part about this tradition is spending time with my family.”

All of these traditions have brought families together, but sophomore Kendall Dearth and her family put their own twist to it.

“We have a tiny tree that we clip a piece of paper with what we’re thankful for and before dinner, we read them all,” Dearth said. “I like that we get to hear what everyone is thankful for.”