Media Clerk Mr. Nathan Mayer happily locks PHS's library door, ready to spend Thanksgiving break with his cousin from Michigan. Photo by: Michaela Moreno

By Michaela Moreno

Thanksgiving is soon to arrive and with it comes traditions that bring friends and family together.

A four day weekend has students buzzing during the three day school week. To start the long awaited vacation is Thanksgiving Day, the day the Indians and Pilgrims made peace and shared a meal together many decades ago. Ten out of the 11 students and faculty surveyed look forward to a feast that will rival the feast made by the Pilgrims and Indians.

Of course, there are other things besides turkey and cheesy potatoes that students and faculty look forward to. Besides the food, Junior Dan Samuelson looks forward to spending time with his family and hunting. Sophomore Tyler Wagner, on the other hand, looks forward to just being able to relax from school, eat good food, and be around his family. Wagner says, “This is because school can be stressful and its just nice to have a break from it.”

Thanksgiving Break is also the perfect opportunity for friends and family to visit, so it is no surprise if there are no leftovers this year. Senior Emilee Keilman’s cousin is coming home from Indianapolis. Keilman says, “Even though she comes home for every holiday this one is special because she is telling us the gender of her baby!” Senior Kylie Ludwig’s brother, cousin, and best friend are coming home from college in Evansville. Ludwig says, “I am very excited for that. My boyfriend is coming home from Indiana State University (in Terre Haute). And I have family coming in from North Carolina.”

To the contrary, for Freshmen Allie Wright, her grandparents will not be coming home this weekend. Wright says, “They live in Florida and they were planning on coming, but there were some mishaps, so we will just have it with our family around town.” Unlike Wright, media clerk Mr. Nathan Mayer will have family coming in. He has a cousin who lives in Michigan who is coming home, but Mr. Mayer says, “He is from here and I see him all the time, so that does not really count.” Yet no matter who is coming or where they are coming from, 2011’s Thanksgiving is sure to be filled with happy family reunions.

In addition to reunions, every holiday has its own traditions as well. Thanksgiving traditions vary from the traditional turkey to football. Junior Alexia Smith says her family always watches Home Alone on Thanksgiving. “Even though it is a Christmas movie, it just gets us in the mood for the upcoming major holiday,” says Smith. Junior Becca Houser watches the parade. “I love everything about the parade, I don’t have a favorite [part],” says Houser. For the other nine interviewed students and faculty, the main tradition is having the whole family together under one roof for a large Thanksgiving meal.

With so many family members coming together, it is hard to imagine creating all that food. Fortunately, all those family members bring along a set of hands to help out. Sophomore Lacey Suess says her entire family brings individual dishes so it becomes one big meal in the end. Other students plan on leaving the cooking to the professionals, but willingly lend their hands.

Aside from the traditions that take place over the Thanksgiving holiday, students and faculty think about the true meaning of Thanksgiving: being thankful. Senior Taylor Jones says he is thankful for, “this country and all the men and women that have served to protect it and its freedoms.” Houser, on the other hand, is thankful for her family, being healthy, and lastly, being able to have a good thanksgiving meal when some people can not afford to eat a lot on Thanksgiving.” Mr. Mayer however, is not just thankful for his family, but also to his students. He says, “I am thankful for all of the help I get throughout the day from my wonderful TAs.”

Although it has not arrived yet, 2011’s Thanksgiving has got students and faculty at the edge of their seats for the mouth-watering food and the arrival of family members who typically live 100s of miles away.