By Alexandra Napoli
Staff Writer
The importance of holiday traditions is more than the family simply getting together to have dinner and give thanks. Traditions, Thanksgiving ones specifically, are about uniting with the ones you love and having something to bond everyone together. As years go on, unique traditions are created or tailored to each family. From intense game nights to vacationing in Disney World, these traditions don’t exactly follow the “pilgrims and American Indians” Thanksgiving stereotypes.
Playing board games may seem like a typical activity at family functions. However, freshman Morgan Statt’s family does it differently.
“We’re normally a quiet and reserved family, but once we break out the board games, all hell breaks loose,” said Statt, a journalism and mass communication major. “We played these board games like we were on a game show about to win a million dollars.”
She said the real action happens after eating the turkey and pumpkin pie.
Freshman marketing major Alison Thomas has played capture the flag with her family for years.
“It gets really intense,” Thomas said. “Although I’m not so sure if the tradition is going to last for very long, my uncle ran into my cousin last year and broke her nose.”
Although that tradition had a painful ending, Thomas said she normally looks forward to the game every year.
Spontaneity is how some traditions begin and, therefore, what makes holidays so memorable.
Something unexpected can bring a family together in a way no one could ever imagine.
Freshman journalism and mass communication major Annie Riley had a spontaneous Thanksgiving a few years ago.
“It was really random,” Riley said. “My mom just got up and said we were going to Disney World. I was so confused, but I said, ‘Okay!’ and we went. It was so strange, but we had such a good time.”
While most countries don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, even international Bonaventure students say they have traditions for the holiday.
Freshman journalism and mass communications major Taylor Anderson lives in Toronto.
“It’s basically the same as American Thanksgiving, but my family does something a little weird,” Anderson said. “My cousin does these crazy tricks with fire like something you would see in the circus. My family looks forward to it every year. It’s so cool. He always has new tricks for us. It sounds kind of weird, but it’s pretty cool.”
Whether it is an intense game of Scrabble, or playing with fire, the unexpected feeling of a new tradition beginning is something that does not happen too often.
On Tuesday, when Bona students leave for home, they are not simply going home. They are bringing back a piece of their families’ traditions.
These traditions are not just fun and excitement for the holidays; there is also a sense of belonging and importance that goes along with Turkey Day. It makes Thanksgiving about the moments shared with families and friends, rather than just indulging in a holiday feast.
