In elementary school, the times I remember so fondly, Thanksgiving lunch was a much anticipated day. I remember biscuits right out of the oven, steaming fresh green beans, and warm and buttery mash potatoes complemented by a hearty helping of thinly carved turkey and some good old fashioned corn bread stuffing.
Invitations were sent out to parents to let them know about the Thanksgiving feast in case they wanted to join in the fun, or at least give their kid money for the celebration instead of a PB&J in a brown bag.
Whether or not I engaged in the festivities, the true spirit of Thanksgiving wafted through out the air in the cafeteria that day, or maybe that was just the smell of the pumpkin pies baking for the next lunch rotation.
Either way, Thanksgiving lunch used to be a big deal. Yes, this classic lunch is probably romanticized by my ignorant youth but it wasn’t just about the food, it was about the spirit!
Even at Irving, paper cornucopias and cartoon turkeys adorned the cafeteria walls. The only thing on our minds then was the food and members of the opposite sex, yet the youthful excitement brought by thanksgiving lunch day ascended.
But, unfortunately, high school has killed the excitement I used to feel. Crowded lunch lines in a dimly lit cafeteria smacked our beloved turkey lunch in the face and screamed, “You do not matter anymore!”
I’ve been eating my lunch here for the past four years, and other than the slight change in the menu, Thanksgiving lunch is no longer relevant. Students are so caught up in AP’s, detentions, and PART cards that there’s no time to stop and smell the biscuits.
Don’t get me wrong, the Thanksgiving meal is still delicious, and highly appreciated. I absolutely love the change in the monotony, but unfortunately it’s so unannounced. It’s a surprise, a pleasant one, but still a surprise.
There needs to be announcements , students want to know not to bring their left over’s for lunch if there’s turkey and cranberry sauce ready in the lunch line!
It would also be a good idea to extend the lunch lines outside of the designated ones. Maybe make a separate buffet line for the pumpkin pie. Students should still treat the lunch that only happens once a year with the same excitement and love that they did in elementary school.
Though my suggestions will probably be disregarded, it would be nice for people to at least acknowledge Thanksgiving lunch and give an extra thanks to the cafeteria staff that day for all their hard work.
