Thanksgiving means something different to each of us, and we all celebrate in our own ways. We come from diverse backgrounds, which create our unique traditions. Some are silly, while others help us appreciate what we have to be grateful for in our lives. Here at TRI-102.5, we shared what traditions we all bring to the Thanksgiving table.

Moodboard, ThinkStock
Moodboard, ThinkStock
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TRI-102.5’s promotions director, Jill, bakes cinnamon rolls (or sweet rolls) with her family every year, following her grandmother’s recipe.  To Jill, it’s a reminder of loved ones who are no longer with her. In her home state of Ohio, TRI blogger Kelsey gathers with family to host a neighborhood football game,“Turkey Bowl,” while her grandma makes a “really big pot of soup.”

As for my family, we serve celery and cream cheese on our Oma’s dish, as a reminder of our German heritage, and that our ancestor brought our family to better life in America. We also, however, reminisce about that time that we almost had a “Donner Party Thanksgiving.” After a turkey sandwich and hike around Bierstadt Lake, it snowed over the trail, which made finding our way back a little challenging. We were thankful for a lot that year. The parking lot, that is. (Sorry, Dad. We’ll never let you live that one down.)

For Giff, Thanksgiving today means cooking foods he knows his kids won’t even eat, just because they like how they make the house smell. Before he had kids, Thanksgiving was about enjoying the company of good friends.

As waiters in Steamboat Springs, Giff and his wife spent the holiday serving tourists. By 2 a.m., however, their ‘dinky’ cabin was packed with nearly 30 ski bum friends, who each brought their favorite dish to the Thanksgiving potluck.

“We ate, we drank, we laughed, we watched the sun come up,” he said.

He also recalls everyone returning to work on the ski slopes at 8 a.m. the next morning.

“We were young and we survived and it was exactly what Thanksgiving is all about.”

One of Cathy’s favorite things about Thanksgiving is the classic sitcom TV episodes that bring the holiday into our living rooms every November.

Like Giff, TRI’s morning jock, Paul, also enjoyed Thanksgivings with the company of a good friend. Taking early morning walks through the woods in his home state of Pennsylvania, he and his friend Andy would set out in search of small game to add to the Thanksgiving dinner. Paul admits that they rarely found anything, but he and Andy kept this tradition for many years through high school and college.

“Hunting in Colorado is quite different from in Pennsylvania, so it isn't something that I can do here,” he said, “But, I hope to join my nephews in the tradition someday.”

As you get ready to sit down at the table this Thanksgiving, pause for a moment to give thanks for the food (or smells of food) that bring you and your loved ones together. Think about your quirky traditions, fun memories (like walking through the woods, or getting stranded in them) and the family and friends that you are grateful for.

You'll laugh, smile and remind yourself how blessed you are to be where you are.

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