Thanksgiving is just around the corner and we all know the clichés, huge turkey, football and the Macy’s parade, but here in Harrisonburg students celebrate before the break in a variety of different ways.
Juniors Betsy Kaeberle and Kristen Kelijen started their new annual pre-Thanksgiving tradition. They had a potluck style dinner with their friends from three different houses. “We had about 12 people,” says Kaeberle.
Their pre-Thanksgiving party did not just include food. They played corn hole, watched football and hung out. “It was really nice to get to celebrate with our JMU family before we go home and celebrate with our actual family,” says Kelijen.
Wednesday, November 16 at 7 p.m. The Catholic Campus Ministry held its annual Interfaith Pilgrim Feast. It cost five dollars to attend. “All the money goes towards our yearly alternative spring break trip,” says junior Katie Benusa.
The event is annual, but this year is the first time it has been called Interfaith Pilgrim Feast. “We decided to change the name to draw a larger group of people,” says Benusa.
The event is open to everyone regardless of religion. This year they are hoping to have one hundred people attend the event. Besides food they are going to have a Thanks Tree. People will be able to write what they are thankful for on precut handprints made from construction paper. “Once everyone has put them up, the tree will look like it is covered in fall leaves,” says Benusa.
Thursday, November 17, The Stratford Players are hosting their annual Thanksgiving dinner. “This tradition has been going on forever,” says junior Amanda Herman. “There are professors who are currently teaching here at JMU, who remember having this dinner when they were undergraduates.”
It is potluck style and the house that hosts the dinner does the turkey. “Everyone else brings a dish, usually something they do at home with their families, such as home made pumpkin cheesecake,” says Herman. The dinner starts at 5 p.m. and usually goes until about 11 p.m.
There is also a senior case race for anyone who is over 21. This is where seniors see who can drink a case of beer the fastest “It’s really entertaining to watch and everyone always has a great time,” says Herman.
Thanksgiving is also a time to think of the less fortunate. JMU Circle K International did a canned food drive and collected over 40 cans to donate to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. “It’s a great feeling to help someone less fortunate,” says junior Justin Kibiloski. “Our club does this sort of thing all year long, but around the holidays it is even more important.”
The food drive went on for three weeks, and club members were able to bring cans in to the weekly meeting. “I like knowing I’m helping someone else have a nice meal, especially around the holidays,” says sophomore Morgan Bibb.
The club will also be doing another canned food drive in February, since that is when the food banks are usually in need of more food. “Everyone thinks about it around the holidays, but we have to remember there are people who are hungry all year long,” says Kibiloski.
Another Thanksgiving tradition going on this week is the on campus pre-break, family dinner. “My suite mates and I pick a day of the week before break and we all go somewhere on campus and eat, hang out and just relax before we go home for break,” says sophomore Claire Fogarty. “This year we all went to D-Hall for the Thanksgiving dinner.”
D-Hall featured a traditional Thanksgiving meal at lunch and dinner, on Thursday before break. “It reminds me of being with my real family, but I get to have it here with my JMU family,” says Fogarty.
There are many different ways students celebrate before the holiday break, but they all involve good food, fun and friends.
-Olivia Fogarty
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