If no one’s told you yet, Thanksgiving is this week! It is finally that time of year for you to get cozy with your family — whether you like it or not — and eat a ridiculous amount of food with absolutely no consequences. Okay, maybe that isn’t super true or applicable to everyone, but hey, ‘tis the season to be full of apple pie! This year, the holiday lands a little later than usual. Thanksgiving is typically on the last Thursday of November, but this November is a little different. Instead of being the usual four weeks, this month is five weeks long! So, we’ve all had to wait a little longer than usual for the holiday festivities and accompanying uncomfortable conversations with uncles you don’t really like.
Though we here at The Tartan love to joke about Thanksgiving being a wildly uncomfortable holiday with amazing food, the Editorial Board does love many things about the holiday. It is not surprising that all of us love the food that the holiday brings, one of our editors notes having eaten Thanksgiving foods all through the month of November, YUM! But some of our families make a point to incorporate our own non-American cultures at our Thanksgivings. My family, (the family of your favorite Forum editor, Lora), has arroz con guandules (rice and pigeon peas) and sometimes pernil (roast pork shoulder) at our dinner every year. Another editor loves having egg rolls with their mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving. Don’t fret though, we’re all very American when it comes to apple pie, cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes (we have to mention them again because the Editorial Board is filled with certified mashed potato lovers).
The only thing that seems to get left behind as a favorite among many people but also among your friendly neighborhood Tartan editors is turkey. Albeit, one of our editors is a vegetarian and understands that meat is just not their vibe — but they still don’t get it. I, for one, have had pretty pleasant experiences with turkey. My family is certainly not one that suffers from chronically under-seasoned overcooked turkeys. Then again, it’s not on my list of favorites. And if we’ve got pernil at the function, Lord knows I am going all in on a pound of pork and crispy skin and leaving that turkey behind.
Another common thread among the Editorial Board is the unconventional aspects of each of our holidays. From almost exclusively hosting Friendsgiving to conversation pits around a fireplace, we each have our fair share of quirks when it comes to Thanksgiving. One editor hosts their little brother here in Pittsburgh and enjoys their signature green bean casserole alongside several cubits of turkey burgers. Another editor just enjoys the holiday with their parents and promptly falls into a debilitating food coma after demolishing their fulfilling food festival. We’ve also got some editors changing their Thanksgiving practices for the first time this year, trying out some new dishes or staying in Pittsburgh and cooking for themselves.
All-in-all we here at The Tartan highly recommend maintaining family traditions and starting your own! Watching the Macy’s thanksgiving day parade is always a blast, but maybe you just want to watch “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” over and over while you prepare pies. Even if you don’t like the holiday for its abhorrent origins, having dinner with friends or family is always a cozy and nostalgic time. Taking care of one another and spending time together cooking a large meal all day is one of the best parts of this holiday. At the very least, take the time to rest, close all your social media, don’t think about finals, and indulge yourself. You deserve it.
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