Every year, I look forward to Thanksgiving. The friends and family, the food, and the shopping are only a few of the many aspects that make the holiday amazing. Thanksgiving is a time for family to come together as one to commemorate a meaningful and fun national holiday, but it is also so much more.

‍Thanksgiving had never been a big deal in my family, as we would only ever acknowledge the holiday at our own houses with our immediate family. However, for the past couple of years, my sister comes home from school and my grandparents fly in to celebrate Thanksgiving.

My family has had the same Thanksgiving day recipes for a long time. These recipes, of course, have been tweaked a little depending on what ingredients we buy, but all I know is that the food always comes out delicious. One of the Thanksgiving traditions in my family is how my mom and grandmother to make all the food and then for my dad and grandfather to taste it to “make sure it’s not poisoned.”

The girls in my family love shopping. After we finish eating, we begin our hunt for Black Friday deals, leaving the guys to clean up. Over the last few years, we have included friends in this annual tradition to expand upon our yearly ritual.

However you celebrate, I hope you have a meaningful Thanksgiving and spend some quality time with your friends and family!