Caroline Wallace ‘23

Features Editor

In the midst of a very busy semester, Thanksgiving break allows for an opportunity to break away from the chaos and spend some much-needed time with loved ones. For many families and friends, there are certain traditions that come with the holiday season. I asked some of my friends from Holy Cross what their favorite traditions are, and it was amazing to learn about the different ways people spend their Thanksgiving. 

Caroline Tornatore ‘23: “My siblings and I always go to the movies after our Thanksgiving dinner. A couple days before Thanksgiving, my sister and I wait in a long line to get pies from a specific bakery in our town.” 

Abby Hoyt ‘23: “Before dinner we always make sticky buns and eat them, and then after dinner my entire family goes bowling.” 

Jane Chavez ‘23: “My family does the turkey bird! The “turkey bird” is actually my dad, but he buys everyone a small present that they get to open on the day of Thanksgiving and it is always wrapped in newspaper.” 

Maggie Hannick ‘23: “Every year my entire extended family plays BINGO, and it ends up being a 50 person game. If you get BINGO, then you get a present, and once all the presents are all taken, we then start a game of swapping. The game gets really competitive and heated, which makes it fun! Even during COVID, we continued to play the game on Zoom!” 

Maeley Nakamura ‘26: “Every year, my family wakes up early and we deliver meals to around 80 people in the San Francisco Tenderloin. We also have the opportunity to talk to the people we deliver the meals to and get to know them. When we are done, we go back home and enjoy our meal!” 

Brennan Regnier ‘23: “One of my favorite dishes is a pink, ice cream jello that my grandma makes every year!” 

Maggie Plomin ‘23: “My family makes pizza the Wednesday before Thanksgiving every year. The real tradition is that every year we have set off the fire alarm at my Aunt and Uncle’s house while we are making the pizzas.” 

As for my own family, we always compete over who gets to take home my cousin Julia’s chocolate pie, or as we call it, “Julia’s famous pie.” She began making it for all of us when she was still in middle school, and now she is a sophomore at the University of Vermont. It is everyone’s favorite dessert, and we all swear that it tastes better every year.