A day full of eating and family, Thanksgiving allows us to be thankful for the people we are lucky to have in our lives. Every person has a tradition for Thanksgiving; here are what five University of Wisconsin La Crosse students have to say about theirs.

Sophmore Justin Rebman explained his favorite family event of the Thanksgiving season: “My family and I weigh ourselves before we start eating and then after to see who can gain the most weight during dinner. It’s always hilarious.”

Rebman goes on to note the usual Thanksgiving food his family eats, and the food that is unique to them. “We have the regular turkey dinner, but also cranberry fluff, which is canned cranberries and marshmallow fluff.”

Hunter Tierman, a freshman, comments on the international desserts his family has traditionalized at Thanksgiving, “My grandmother is Norwegian and always makes tons of lefse for us to devour.”

After Tierman and his family eat more than their stomachs can hold, Tierman says “We all retreat to different rooms to lay under vast levels of quilts and pass out from all of the food we digest.”

Another sophomore, Chloe Volden, shared what is special to her and her family during the holiday, “My family and I pile into the car and drive up north every year and tend to have the staples of Thanksgiving on our table. We have turkey, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and lots of pie. It is sort of the same thing ever year but that’s what makes it a tradition.”

Junior Sarah Schuerman discussed how her family expresses their Thanksgiving love: “My dad always tries not to make my mom crazy, but it never really works. Everyone is running around trying to prepare the food and we normally have football on in the back. I’ve always wanted to watch the parade, and I did one year, but it was not all that exciting for me.”

A retail worker as well, Schuerman added, “I will be coming back home on Thursday night to work Black Friday but it’s okay because I’ll be making money instead of sulking in the weight of my Thanksgiving dinner.”

Emma Smiley, a sophomore, shares her family’s tradition of ethnic food during the feast: “Some of my family is Russian but we have lots of ethnic food. There are Russian pastries and stews along with traditional American thanksgiving food.”

On the sports side of the day, Smiley shared, “My family are huge Green Bay Packers fans so we always watch them if they’re playing, or whoever else is.”

Traditions are what make Thanksgiving a favorite holiday to each family celebrating. Have a fun Turkey Day UWL!