Evanston is a seemingly typical American town. We have a variety of people, coming from the far stretches of the globe. At the surface, it all seems pretty American. But dig a little deeper and a vast world of odd quirks, unique traditions and diverse culture appears. Thanksgiving is an American holiday, meant to celebrate the first good harvest of the pilgrims. For most families, Thanksgiving conjures images of a turkey’s embonpoint, steaming potatoes and decadent pies. For some, however, Thanksgiving is a time to be slightly more out of the ordinary. The RoundTable asked some school kids and teachers about their Thanksgiving traditions.
One family goes to the east with their traditions. They each drink a nice, liberal glass of vodka; then they play the classic dizzying game of bat spin (spinning as if on an axis, forehead planted on the end of a baseball bat). After that comes a footrace. Whoever finds the means to get to the finish line first without being overcome by vacillations and emetic urges gets the honor of eating first. (One cannot help but wonder if they can keep their dinner down after all that.)
One family throws raw eggs at their refrigerator before eating.
Another family goes into the nearby woods and hunts their own turkey. That has to taste better than the supermarket brand.
Yet another family starts the day by baking fresh cinnamon rolls together. Then, weather permitting, they go out and either fly kites or play strategy games until dinner. Imagine getting captured by an uncle during a game of Capture the Flag.
Some folks and their kin waste no time getting in the Christmas spirit after their hearty meal by watching the traditional movie “Holiday Inn.”
Still some families think that when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, pork beats poultry by a long shot, choosing to put a succulent ham on their table.
Although some families are more filiopietistic, being proudly Mexican or English or Chinese, others zealously embrace American mores but add their own twist. One Evanstonian is Polish, married to a Filipino. They celebrate this great American holiday by eating Greek lamb chops. Greco-Ameri-Poli-Pino. That works for me.