Thanksgiving with the Ridley Houses

As we progress further into the year, the leaves on campus turn from vibrant greens to warm-toned yellows and oranges, and we often find ourselves looking forward to a lull in our hectic lives. Thanksgiving break, as the first long weekend of the school year, is always well-awaited by students and faculty alike. After all, breaks are an excellent time to catch up, whether it be with homework or friends. Even if there is no catching up to be done, who wouldn’t want four glorious days filled with rest, relaxation and repose? I sure would!

Thanksgiving is all about spending time with family and appreciating the good things in our lives, which was what many of us did over the week. But how did each Ridley house spend their Thanksgiving? All of the students staying on campus during the long weekend had the opportunity to go on a trip to Clifton Hill and the Outlet Malls as a part of their activities. But in addition to that, many houses also had their own activities planned for a fun Thanksgiving week! Here are some highlights from a couple of the Houses at Ridley!

Mandeville focused on the ‘thanks’ aspect of Thanksgiving by creating a turkey-themed card for the Aramark staff who provided meals during the long weekend. The Ducks also wrote down things they were thankful for onto paper maple leaves to create a tree filled with gratitude. Deans practised recognizing the various character strengths of others through one-of-a-kind ‘hand-turkeys’ and celebrated the holidays through their own version of a Thanksgiving dinner. Gooderham West spent the weekend creating and enjoying numerous treats.

Below is a short interview with Kanase Kin, a ninth-grader from G-West who spent her Thanksgiving on campus.

How did your house celebrate Thanksgiving?

We celebrated by baking cinnamon rolls and cookies and dipping fruit in melted chocolate.

What was your favourite part of it and why?

My favourite part was baking cinnamon rolls, which we tried to make into pumpkin shapes.

What’s the best thing you ate during Thanksgiving weekend?

Varied fruit was the best thing I ate. I enjoyed eating and making it.

Do you and your family usually celebrate Thanksgiving? If so, how?

We don’t usually party, so it was a new experience.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, what is one thing you are grateful for?

One of the things I’m thankful for is having enough to eat, which gives me the energy to study and enjoy school life.