REBEKAH GREEN
PRIDE STAFF WRITER

In “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,” Sally Brown said, “Why should I give thanks on Thanksgiving? What have I got to be thankful for?”

Unlike Sally, it’s not hard for me to think about what I’m thankful for. I’m grateful for my family, my friends, etc. I’m thankful for the things I have. And the times when I’m not cramming on multiple papers due in the same week, I’m thankful for the opportunity I have to be in college. Being thankful isn’t the only thing people do on Thanksgiving though (not to say that we shouldn’t be thankful any other day of the year). It is also a time for people take part in nationwide traditions and more personal traditions that transcend generations.

Let’s face it. When we think of Thanksgiving, we think of food. Needless to say, food is a big deal – or rather, it becomes a big deal, especially once the holiday season rolls around. Foodconsumer.org weighs some statistics: practically two-thirds of turkey from the U.S. last year originate from just six states (with Minnesota as the winner at 47 million) and 735 million pounds of cranberries were produced in the U.S. in the same year. Food consuming aside, Thanksgiving’s traditions differ from household to household, but many remain almost universal in the U.S.

If there is a football fan present within the house, that television will be on for the game. If you aren’t watching football and you aren’t able to attend in person, you’re probably watching the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, held in New York City, on NBC or CBS. Some people are just anxious for Christmas to finally arrive. Others are just too stuffed to do anything.

Thanksgiving has come a long way since the 1600s, and I for one am glad that so many people have made it unique to their own personal traditions and meanings. It doesn’t matter what you do for Thanksgiving or who you do it with. So don’t worry if you don’t have an actual turkey, if you can’t stand football, if you forgot about the parade or if none of these apply to what you do. The heart of the matter is to make memories that will stick for years to come and to take time to appreciate your life. You don’t have to think hard to answer Sally Brown’s question. There is always something to be thankful for.