I don’t usually get excited about thanksgiving because I don’t have a big family, there’s 3 of us & we usually stay in watching tv and eating all day every year. Generally, the holidays make me feel sad and isolated, there are days where I feel “jolly” and thankful but not for too long. It’s usually a time of year where everyone is stressing over money, especially with black Friday being the day after thanksgiving. It’s ironic how we’ve dedicated a day to being grateful for what we have and the very next day we’re fighting others for toys and whatnot on sale. The articles that appear in “What Does Thanksgiving Mean to You?” by the New York Times are so relatable and are a good representation of how many oof us feel during the holidays.

To me, Thanksgiving is a time where I’m able to relax and get a break from both school and work. Those around me and in my neighborhood use this time to get together with close friends and family, create new memories and enjoy each other’s presence, something they’re not able to do too often. Even though my family and I don’t do much for thanksgiving we still make sure we make lots of food, sometimes we make turkey and other years we make traditional dishes like Pernil(Roasted pork), potato salad, rice and beans. We like to trade plates of food with neighbors, this is our way of showing thanks and still connecting with others when we don’t want to have big house parties. When I’m older I want to start getting together with my close friends and members outside of my intermediate family, this is something I have not have the pleasure of doing as a child.