Thanksgiving, currently celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November by federal legislation in 1941, is an annual tradition in the United States. Historically, Thanksgiving has been a celebration of the blessings of the year, including the harvest. What Americans call the “Holiday Season” generally begins with Thanksgiving.

Arrowhead senior Nicole Hospel says, “My Thanksgiving was good. So we went to my  aunt’s house for lunch, then we went to my aunt’s house on my mom’s side for dinner. And then that night we went black Friday shopping, but we left the house at 10pm to go shopping. We just went to Target and Kohls. Then we went back to my grandma’s house and slept over. And in the morning, we went to Mayfair and went shopping from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm and in between we had lunch.”

Hospel says Thanksgiving is about family. , “On my dad’s side, is just my grandparents, my aunt and uncle, and my mom and dad and brother. On my mom’s side, my aunts and uncles, and my cousins.”

“The food was good. My favorite was the real mashed potatoes,” Hospel says, “they’re the ones that you actually have to make.”

“On Thanksgiving, we just go to my grandma’s house. And on Friday, we go black Friday shopping and then go to Maggiano’s for lunch,” Hospel says.

Hospel says she’s thankful for “My dog and my job.”

Arrowhead senior Chloe Peterson says, “My Thanksgiving was good.”

She says she spent it with “my family, my cousins and aunts and uncles.”

“The food was really good, my favorite was the pumpkin pie,” says Peterson. “I’m thankful for the roof my parents provide and am able to get along with my parents.”

Though senior Taylor Radtke says her Thanksgiving was “kinda boring.”

“I spent it with my co-workers and I didn’t really eat anything besides like mashed potatoes and corn…Nothing really that was Thanksgiviny.”

Radtke says for her family’s tradition, “we go black Friday shopping so we go at midnight.”

Radtke says she celebrated Thanksgiving twice (on two different days.) “We did it with my step sisters and went out to eat the day after Thanksgiving,” says Radtke.

Radtke says she is “thankful for my dog and my job.”

For Arrowhead senior Lauren Overstreet, she says her Thanksgiving was “good.”

Overstreet says she “spent it with my family and my brothers.”

“The food was good and tasty. My favorite was the mashed potatoes,” says Overstreet. “I don’t know we don’t really have a Thanksgiving tradition, but we played games and did a puzzle,” Overstreet says.

Overstreet says  “I really like my family so I’m thankful for them.”

Arrowhead senior Will DeWeerdt says, “My Thanksgiving was really hectic and filled with food, however, I’m grateful it happened the way it did.”

“I spent it with my dad’s side of the family for lunch, then I went to my mom’s house to spend it with her family,” DeWeerdt says.

DeWeerdt says, “My favorite food item was the mashed potato casserole my grandpa made. Dessert was also my favorite. At my dad’s house we had a elegant farmer apple pie and those are always amazing. At my mom’s, we had two homemade apple pies and maple pecan tart which was out of this world.”

“I’m thankful for my friends, my family, my girlfriend, and my life that I able to live,” says DeWeerdt.