You would be hard pressed to find one Thanksgiving celebration consistent in every detail throughout the halls of WJ. Students and teachers alike enjoy a variety of ways of celebrating the feast-filled holiday. The traditions of those interviewed were a far cry from the stereotypical Thanksgiving tradition of eating turkey, watching football, then, ironically, going Black Friday shopping on Thursday night.

​Walsh Jesuit students spend time with their families in a variety of ways over the Thanksgiving weekend. For instance, Michael Desciscio, ’20, shared his family’s tradition of holding a Wii “Mario Kart Tournament and a Just Dance Tournament” every year. His sister Marisa, a senior, claimed that she “wins the Just Dance Tournament every year,” but Michael insisted that he always wins the Mario Kart competition and his younger sister, freshman Mia, is the one who actually wins Just Dance.

​A freshman, James Bagne, described how every Thanksgiving weekend he loves to “watch Michigan beat OSU” in college football. Since he grew up in Detroit, this rivalry game is huge for the WJ student, and he loves cheering on his Wolverines safely surrounded by his family from Michigan.

​One of the most well-known Thanksgiving debates centers on the idea of the kids’ table. Sophomore Joey Drake, like many people, hates the kids’ table, especially because he feels like he is old enough to sit with the adults. On the other hand, Mitchell Bush, a senior, loves sitting at the kids’ table so he can talk to his cousins instead of holding polite conversations with his grandparents.

​Some, like Jesuit Donnè Mr. Mike Price, have no particular Thanksgiving traditions. He loves to explore something new each Thanksgiving, whether it be going to a new restaurant, spending time with friends, or watching a new show on Netflix.

​While spending time with loved ones is very important during Thanksgiving, some will argue the most important aspect of the holiday is the food. Some dishes favored by WJ are quite interesting, to say the least.

​For starters, senior Lyndsay Miller’s family always enjoys turducken and mashed potatoes with almond milk. Turducken combines turkey, duck, and chicken. Lyndsay explained that she is lactose intolerant, gluten free, and she does not eat red meat, so her family lovingly accommodates her needs and tastes.

​Sophomore Colton Levy’s family steers clear of the turkey and goes for a more unique main course, chicken and waffles. This dish consists of a waffle with a piece of fried chicken on top. He explained that his family started this tradition after going to Peach Tree in Hudson and also eating the delectable and unique meal with a family down South.

Those in the Walsh Jesuit community also eat various types of stuffing from the traditional Stove Top to even stuffing with the liver, heart, and giblets ground up, then mixed with onions and bread crumbs. Junior Julie Holkovic described this latter recipe, her family standard, as “weird,” but Ms. Duarte insisted this is the only stuffing truly fit for the turkey.

​Perhaps the most unusual food tradition was practiced by the Holkovic family. Senior Jamie and junior Julie eat birthday cake every Thanksgiving. Sometimes it is a traditional birthday cake, but other times it is a pumpkin pie with birthday candles on top. Jamie explained that she has “never had a birthday where [she] has not had this tradition.”

​However oddly distinctive the festivities may be, everyone can agree that tradition is not to be changed. What matters the most, always, is spending time with loved ones.