My thanksgiving this year was spent with my family. We always celebrate holidays together because its a time to be even more grateful for family and loved ones. Even though all of my family was not here, we still celebrated them and had thanksgiving together like we always do. It has been a new experience celebrating the holidays in a new state and different culture. Our family friends have become part of our family and since last year we have spent it with them.Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for everything that you have. November to my family means Thanksgiving, but also Christmas time already. Going to the tree lighting in Oakway was a fun new thing for us to do, that might also become a new tradition.

When talking to my dad, he also said that he misses being around all of his family as well as his traditions of going to the beach on thanksgiving morning with his two brothers while his parents started cooking. My dad has two separate thanksgiving dinners with his moms side and his dads side, but now that we live in Oregon its changed to one with his kids.

When I interviewed my mom I asked her how has her thanksgiving changed in her life. She explained that since moving to Oregon a little over two years ago, that she hasn’t spent it with her 2 sisters and mom and she misses the family connection around the holidays. It has just been my siblings and dad, but now has made friends that join us too.

We all counted down from 10 and the tree lit up starting the Christmas season. After we saw the tree we walked through the huge crowd of people back to our cars to go home.

We drank hot cocoa while we waited for the tree lights countdown. My boyfriend met my family there as we all waited.

On sunday night my family went to the Christmas tree lighting in Oakway center and met up with our family friends again. Even though we’ve lived in Oregon for more than two years we have never been to the Christmas tree lighting.

After Walmart we went to the mall where they has a lot of black friday sales. It was even busier than Walmart. I had never been out on black friday so being able to see how everyone does it was a new experience for me.

The day after Thanksgiving my sister, baby brother, and I went to Walmart with my mom to look for Christmas presents. It was very busy with everyone trying to do their black friday shopping.

After dinner my little siblings and I played cup pong while our parents talked. My 7 year old brother and 11 year old sister played against me and actually beat me which I didn’t expect. We played two times then my uncle wanted to play them and won.

We all sat at the table and ate dinner together. The adults talked while kids started to play with toys again.