Despite the array of family members flying in from their colleges and workplaces for Thanksgiving celebrations, those unable to book a flight, a different kind of Thanksgiving presented itself: Friendsgiving. This year, a Thanksgiving spent with one’s friends has been trending over many social media platforms.
The traditions of the holiday are upheld with this emerging trend, with turkey, pumpkin pie, and more remaining popular menu items for the dinner table.
There are many reasons why a person may choose to celebrate a “Friendsgiving” over the traditional family gathering on this holiday. For instance, many that are away from home are students who cannot afford plane tickets to their home state or country. In some instances, even when one can afford the travel, complicated family relations may drive one away from the potential holiday strife.
With the popularity of this new tradition, it is evident that celebrating holidays have become more open to those who are not immediate family.
“My brother couldn’t come home for Thanksgiving because of his role in the military,” said Winston Chen (10). “The house felt pretty empty without him on a holiday usually meant for family, but at least he had his friends to be with.”
Much good can stem from this new tradition as well. One that was mentioned frequently online was the increase of interactions between various different cultures during this holiday, either through food or conversation. An example of this is Suzanne Harris of Santa Rosa, who shares her Thanksgiving dinner table with those with no family, with more than 50 people participating from various backgrounds such as Ukraine, Colombia, Mexico, and more.
Phoebe Borst, AP Literature teacher, shared her experience of Thanksgiving growing up, “Every Thanksgiving, my mom and dad would look for people that didn’t have places to go or families to be with, so of course, being so far away from home, it’s really nice to be included in someone’s Thanksgiving and to be treated as a family member.”
Be it with friends or family, this holiday can be celebrated when you are surrounded by those you choose.
