JUPITER CHRISTIAN SCHOOL – Thanksgiving is the holiday everyone knows and loves for being able to spend valuable time with family and friends, but the traditions that one develops are really what connect people together. 

As Ryan Lutz talks about some of his family traditions for thanksgiving, he includes fishing and playing football with his cousins. These traditions are very meaningful to him as it is a time when he can connect with the part of his family that he does not spend every day with. Whenever some of his family are not there for Thanksgiving, Ryan says, “We do it without them and still have fun” which is an important aspect in maintaining the spirit of the holiday.  

Ryan explains how vastly his traditions have changed over the years and how, “We have added more stuff onto it.” These changes go all the way from things such as food to sports and activities his family participates in during the holiday. But Thanksgiving is never complete without the famous turkey dinner that everyone loves. Ryan’s family is no exception to this country wide tradition. As he explained, some of his family’s specials include stuffing, turkey, and brownies for dessert.  

All these dishes, traditions and more are what keep this holiday together through the many hardships that one will face. Reflecting on the yearly holiday, Ryan says, “I am grateful for my family.” He is also grateful for the traditions he has developed with meaningful memories, which he will hold for the many years to come.  

Thanksgiving is the time to not just appreciate what we have, but a time to recognize God’s everlasting love which he bestowed upon us. Because without his love, none of us would get the opportunity to spread his wonderful message to the people who never got the opportunity to experience it themselves.