Turkey, cranberry sauce and delicious rolls are a Thanksgiving trademark, but delicious food is not what Thanksgiving is all about. It’s a time to cherish your loved ones, gather around and be thankful for all that you hold dear.
Nearly all college students look forward to breaks in the semester, but they especially enjoy Thanksgiving break. They can finally put away the ramen and Spam and instead of going to the dining hall they can wholeheartedly stuff their faces with homemade food and tasty desserts. Students also appreciate the break because it gives them time to catch up with family before winter intersession. But students are not the only people who are thankful for the yummy holiday.
Faculty and staff also daydream about the holiday break just as much as the students they educate. And every family is different, each with their own traditions.
“My favorite Thanksgiving tradition involves each member of my family going around the table talking about what we have been most thankful for during the year. Since the year I found out I was going to be a mother, my ‘thanks’ has almost always revolved around being thankful for having my four smart, healthy, wonderful children – Andrew, Sarah, Kate and Ben. In 2007, when it was my turn to say what I was thankful for that year, I said, ‘I am thankful for my new job at Texas A&M University-Kingsville where people have made me feel so at home and where my job doesn’t feel like work.’ Each year since, I have given thanks for this wonderful place where people are like family and where my job is a joy,” said Terisa Riley, senior vice president for Student Affairs and University Administration.
Faculty and staff members look forward to the holidays. For a lot of employees at Texas A&M University-Kingsville the holidays are like an extended weekend giving them time to focus on family and friends.
“I am most thankful for family. For me, family comes first, always. My family has grown and changed over the years, but the bonds we share will always bring joy to my heart. As Javelinas we are all part of a larger family of those who love our university, so of course I count our community in what I am thankful for,” said Kirsten Compary, assistant vice president of Student Affairs.
There is no denying that before Thanksgiving arrives everyone is dreaming of their favorite dish. Riley’s favorite is sweet potato casserole and she credits her mother-in-law with the best recipe, Compary’s is sweet potatoes, either candied or oven roasted with garlic and rosemary. But one of the staples at her Thanksgiving is an asparagus casserole, her husband’s grandmother’s recipe.
Besides family, loved ones and divine meals another staple of Thanksgiving is leftovers. Many families are big and therefore the chef of the day cooks more food than necessary, but it will all be worth it for the next few days.
“One of my most favorite things about Thanksgiving is hosting family and doing all of the cooking so I can then eat leftovers for days. I LOVE Thanksgiving leftovers! Our Thanksgiving feast always centers around turkey – we started off cooking in the oven, then discovered fried turkey, and now of course, being in South Texas, we have discovered the love for smoked turkey. Our feast usually will also include sweet potatoes, stuffing, asparagus casserole, homemade cranberry sauce, pecan pie… the whole works,” Compary said.
