The Thanksgiving feast pictured above is a famous painting by the American artist Norman Rockwell, who made idealized scenes of American life. Here you have the happy family, sitting at a beautiful table full of typical Thanksgiving food (including a large Turkey), headed by the eldest of the family - grandmother has cooked the Turkey; grandfather will carve it. It is the archetypal "American Thanksgiving." Do you plan on participating at a traditional American Thanksgiving on the 24th? Do you look forward to it? How about traditions - especially traditional feasts - in your country? What might a painting of that tradition look like?
Monday, November 14, 2011
Journal Question #6
The Thanksgiving feast pictured above is a famous painting by the American artist Norman Rockwell, who made idealized scenes of American life. Here you have the happy family, sitting at a beautiful table full of typical Thanksgiving food (including a large Turkey), headed by the eldest of the family - grandmother has cooked the Turkey; grandfather will carve it. It is the archetypal "American Thanksgiving." Do you plan on participating at a traditional American Thanksgiving on the 24th? Do you look forward to it? How about traditions - especially traditional feasts - in your country? What might a painting of that tradition look like?
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Yes, I plan on participating at a traditional American Thanksgiving
ReplyDeleteon the 24th. No, I don't look forward to it, because I don't like to
eat Turkey. I like eating beef and mutton. In our country, the most
important feast is the Spring Feast. In this Feast, I and my family
will eat dinner together, and we also play many funny and interesting activities. For example, playing the snowball, and touching off the firecracker. I like touching off the firecracker with
my friends very much, because I can talk to them and develop our
emotion. In my opinion, the tradition looks like the whole family
sit around the same table, and eat the dinner together. we talk
everything interesting during the dinner. So we have a good
time at that moment.
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ReplyDeletei have never heard of thanks giving fest before i came to U.S. At first i thought this fest was so rare, maybe it was because of the name. But now i have changed my mind, i think on the thanks giving vacation, we all will be having lot of fun.During the vacation, i will go to New York City, that is my first time to get there. i feel excited for thanks giving 's coming.
ReplyDeleteIn our motherland, we have a traditional fest call mid autumn fest , which will be happening on every 18 Aug. Because the moon on that day will be most bright and most beautiful, every year we will look at the moon and eat mooncakes on that period of time.
I don't have Thanksgiving in my country . But I think people have some similar traditions in my country .For example , I have the Spring Festival , it likes Thanksgiving in a sense . I also have a big dinner with my family . And every Spring Festival I come back my home town-GuangDong . My father's mother and his sisters live in GuangDong . Every year I have a big dinner with them . In the GuangDong , we eat fish , chicken ，duck and goose.
ReplyDeleteBut this year , I don't have enough time to go back my home town . I feel blue .
This year I will have the first Thanksgiving in my life with my homestay family and Elize. Maybe I will cry to make some chinese food . I hope it will be good.
I think I will have a good Thanksgiving holiday~
In my hometown, we have Thanksgiving. But it's not important like Valentine' Day. Maybe we will give gift to our parents,but we don't eat chicken, we don't have large activities.
ReplyDeleteI'll spend Thanksgiving with Season's homestay.It's my frist time to spend a formal Thanksgiving, and it's also my first time to live with a homestay family. I'm looking forward it, I'm very curios about turkey. Is it delicious?
In China, Spring Festival is the most important festival and the largest feast all the time. All the families eat together: dumpings, chicken, beef, mutton, fish, vegetables and fruit. We watch Spring Festival Gala at night until 12:00, then we set off some fireworks. Although it's beautiful, I think it's bad for air and I don't like them. So Chinese food is the only one thing I miss about China( expect my family ).
i'm looking forward to Thanksgiving fest this time i can take it in America.i can have a very traditional Thanksgiving in Florida but except snow...i think Thanksgiving should have snow...i saw it in some story...that very beautiful....but i still expect it...
ReplyDeletewe have Thanksgiving in my hometown but it'is not very important.Spring Festival is very important in my home.we will have dinner with our whole family...
this is my first Thanksgiving in America...i will take it with my stepfather
i think i will have a good Thanksgiving vacation....
painting of that tradition look like lively...
i am very exciting for the thanks giving! in china , we do not have thanks giving, but we know your have this feast. Also , the shopping mall will on sale, lots of people will get the stuff they want in a cheaper price. this thanks giving , my parents will come with me . i will take them to NYC. we will spend thanks giving in new york. so i am very exciting to feel a true thanks giving in America! happy thanks giving! have a great vacation!
ReplyDeleteI never have Thanksgiving holiday in China,but a lot of people know it.And we don't have vacation.But in America,we have holiday,and we can travel on other city or states.I will go to Detroit with friend.So I really excited about Thanksgiving holiday!
ReplyDeleteI'll stay with a host family during the Thanksgiving so I think I'm able to participate a traditional American Thanksgiving.I can't wait for the holiday because we don't need to go to school for such a long time! The most important festival in China is Lunar New Year.People can have a seven-day holiday. The kids can get pocket money. The whole family have dinner together. It's a special time for the family to gather. What's more, we watch TV together .Most chinese watch CCTV 1 during that time and it's one of the most boring soirée I have ever watched. But we insist to watch it. Maybe the reason is that it's a part of tradition. Or people have no choice. During the time, every channel plays that soirée. We have fireworks and other noisy stuffs. Some people choose to play cards to let them not fall asleep.
ReplyDeleteI don't have Thanksgiving in my country too. I'm very excited for Thanksgivig. I will in my friend house. I mean in typical American family so probably i will have good time. I never saw this holiday before so i don't know what is it. I saw this tradition in american movies but now it will be real. I think it will be normal day with special lunch or something like this but nothing else i really don't have any idea about it. I glad too because we don't need to go to school for such a long time in these days. Special festival in Slovakia is .....i really don't know now but i think christmas is very big tradition or maybe big night. So we don't have big traditions like these traditions.
ReplyDeleteI don't plan on participating at a traditional American Thanksgiving on the 24th.I'm so disappointed.But if I have chance to have it,I'm so glad to celebrate it.In our spring festival which is the most important festival,all of us gather together.we eat spring rolls,dumplings,
ReplyDeletenoddles and many traditional food.One of my favorite things is watching TV.During the spring festival,CCTV channel will have a special program for spring festival.It's interesting.
I'll go California for my amazing Thanks Giving vacation! I'll stay with my relatives, so I don't have any chance to participate this American traditional festival, but I will also have turkey in the Thanks Giving!
ReplyDeleteIn China, the most important festival for us is the Spring Festival. This is the event for all the people who are out working to back home. All the families sit together with each other, to talk about the life, or anything interesting happened in the last year. We will eat dumplings, sausage, spring roll, and so on. Most family will go out to play firework, and the kids will go ask the money from the older people, that means good wish to the kids.
I will go to New York with Mr.Nasse's family ! This is my first time to go to New York, this is my first time to go to New York! And this is my first time to spend a festival with American family! Thanksgiving day is warm, New York city is awesome, and Emerson is so so so so so so cute!!^_^ I like her so much!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd in China, we have spring Festival, it's the most important festival in China. We will have a warm time with our family! Everyone will come to my grandparents' house to eat! We will eat many many delicious food. Like sausage , spring roll, chicken , fish cake( my hometown's snack) an so on . In the South of China, some of us don't eat dumpings, like my hometown. But in the North of China, every family will eat dumpings!
We don't have Thanksgiving feast in my country so I am looking forward to my first Thanksgiving feast in the United States . Howard and me has found a host family in Maine and we can try the typical Thanksgiving dinner on 24th November ! In China , we also have a very important feast call New Year festival . All of us will come back home and have a abundant dinner . In addition , we will eat lots of candies and dumpings . But my favorite thing about the New Year Festival is we can get many red pockets !
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for the Thanksgiving, i gonna go to New York.And last year i spent my Thanksgiving with my homestay family, we sited together and have a big turkey. Anyway, in China the most important day is Spring Festival. After finish a year work and every family member sit together and have a big meal, we conclude last year and look forward for next year, of course we do a lot fire work for this day.
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited about this Thanksgiving,because I am going to my friend's house,my friend is american,so I am going to have a really really big Thanksgiving dinner and it's also my first time to eat the turkey,so I really hope Thanksgiving comes faster.
ReplyDeleteBack home,we don't have Thanksgiving,but we have a big festive and that is spring festive.During that day,old people always give young children pocket money,and the family hang out together, watching the Spring Festival Gala and other types of television programs,eat a variety of food,firecrackers and fireworks,and we also play lots of thing,such as roller skating skiing, playing poker, mahjong.
And we eat dumplings,lantern and other traditional foods, and of course the duck, stewed pork ribs and so on and so on all kinds of favorite things, in addition, because a lot of free time, so eat seeds of peanut candy.
I have heard that Thanksgiving is kind of like a day of reunion. On that day, everyone in America and especially the people who work out of hometown will come back home and spend the vacation with their families.In China, we also have a traditional festival of reunion, named “The Mid-Autumn Festival” . On the night of that day, the whole families gathere together to eat moon cakes and appreciate the full moon.It is a very enjoyable thing.And I’m look forward to spend the Thanksgiving with my uncle’s family.I hope it will be a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI don't have Thanksgiving Day in the China.And I can't wait for my first Thanksgiving Day ,because I'm going to New York .it's my first time to go to New York.
ReplyDeleteThe Spring Festival is the most important holiday for the Chinese People. It is usually comes in January or February. When Spring Festival comes, people come back home for the reunion. There are many traditional activities to celebrate the festival, such as to do a through cleaning to have a new look for the new year, to paste handwritten couplets on the front doors to bring good luck, to conduct lion dance to increase the festival atmosphere, to prepare a variety of foods to treat the family,friends and relatives, give lucky money to the children and so on.
it's my second time to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. Last Thanksgiving Day,I went to Chicago. And I'm going to Boston this Thanksgiving Day.I can't wait.
ReplyDeleteThe Spring Festival is the most important festival in China. People usually decorate the doors and windows with red paper cuts. because red means good luck. People usually clean house too，because they want to sweep away bad luck. Children can get some new clothes or presents from their parents and grandparents.And the most excited thing is we can get lucky money from elders.
Absolutely yes, I have been celebrating Thanksgiving since I am a primary school student. I still memorized during Thanksgiving Day all the teachers and friends will share candies and the school cafe will provide a huge meal for whole school people. The meals are not always including turkey in China. So that's one part that my primary school needs to consider to improve, but we all know if you want to prepare a turkey meal for more than 1000 people that will cost you so much money. Anyway, I decided to stay in Saco and celebrate the Thanksgiving Day with my home stay family. I have been celebrating American traditional Thanksgiving Day since I came here. In 2009, I went to a host family. In 2010, I went to a host family too. This family is now my home stay family. This year I will stay with the same family as 2010. American traditional way to celebrating Thanksgiving is to eat a huge turkey meal with pies, drinks, cakes, and so on. So many tasty foods! I love it!
ReplyDeleteAs so many students are talk about. In China we also have so many traditional holidays. Like New year, Mid-Autumn day and more. I like New Year because I will receive so many red-pockets and gifts. New year is the best time for children and teens, millions of gifts! In China during New Year my family will also having a big dinner. The meals are very variety, like rice, steamed bread and so on. I love my grandfather and grandmother's cook. It's nice too.
This is my first thanksgiving. I can't wait to participating at a traditional American Thanksgiving. This Thanksgiving, I am going to New York city with our TA student.
ReplyDeleteI know that in Thanksgiving, we suppose to stay with our family. But when we are abord, friend is like family. So this thanksgiving, I decided to stay my" big family" !
I heard that people will put different kind of food in Turkey on Thanksgiving. I am looking forward to that!
In China , we don't really celebrate at Thanksgiving, but we have a similar festival call Mid-autumn festival. The whole family will have a big meal together. And we also have moon cake, same as the meaning of turkey.
I hope everyone have a great Thanksgiving!
hi. I have thanksgiving in America.
ReplyDeleteit is my first thanksgiving , i think it was so fun for me and my family.
I never have it because in Russia we didn't have thanksgiving . A lot of people don't know what is it.
I have thanksgiving with my family and friends. i like it because i will be eat Turkey and i want eat more because all time i m so hungry.
American's family have different thanksgiving but it is traditional for American;s people.A lot my friend in a dorm live with American's family i think it is good for my friend.They talk with family and improve English but i stay with my aunte's because i help.
In Russia we have a lot of holiday like thanksgiving but i don't know name.
I think i will have fun of thanksgiving.
First of all, painter of this beautiful picture really captured my interest by a big Turkey because I have never tried it before.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first Thanksgiving. In Russia we do not have Thanksgiving and I am so exited.
I was unaware about Thanksgiving. My aunt told me some things a bout this holiday. I was amazed because people does not work in this day and all shops are close. Actually, I think it is a good opportunity for family to have a great time together.
A lot of students from the dorm stayed with American families. There are a lot of students. In my opinion it is a good experience for them because some countries don't celebrate Thanksgiving. I stayed in my aunt's house with my brother and a few aunt's friends will come and it will be a great opportunity to improve my English. I know nothing about how to cook Turkey and what what kind of food else people do for this holiday.
Fortunately, I have a chance to try and to know more about it. I can't wait for tomorrow.
When I celebrate Thanksgiving I will tell about it to my family and my friends.
The painting is great, and it looks like a photo. Thanksgiving is a big festival in America, I've never celebrated Thanksgiving before. This time, I am having a big meal with Bin and Temples' family. it's very warm to have the thanksgiving meal with them, we eat Turkey and a lot of delicious food, it's the first to have a formal meal in America. I am enjoying it very much. We have a big feat in China when spring festival, all the members of a family come back to hometown to have a big meal, we always eat dumpling in spring festival. If there is a painting of the big meal of spring festival, that should be very nice and warm, everybody smile happily and the grandparents are very happy to see their grandsons and granddaughters.
ReplyDeleteI really expect Thanksgiving because we will have more than 4 days off.I can use this holiday to travel somewhere,such as New York city.New York is a very very big city.There are too many very tall buildings in there.It's a totally modern city,but I don't mean I don't want to spend a traditional Thanksgiving holiday.I really want to taste Turkey.It must be very delicious.As for China,there are also a lot of festivals just like Thanksgiving.For example,when we spend Spring festival in China,we also call a lot of relativals to spend together.We sit together around a big table.There are a lot of traditional food on the table.We will also let the oldest person sit a special seat.We will say many good words to bring ourselves good luck in next year.
ReplyDeleteI will spend my Thanksgiving Day holiday in New York City. It will be my first Thanksgiving Day holiday. It is said that Thanksgiving Day is becoming the most important holiday in USA. So my jounary must be very enjoyable. By the way, I love NYC ,this city is full of energy and it is a creative city. I plan to buy some things as presents to my friends , teachers,and parents in China, and my friends in TA. What’s more, I plan to go to the Chinatown , Time square,and Brooklyn. In a word,I want to enjoy my first Thanksgiving Day holiday in NYC,I am looking forward this holiday now.
ReplyDeleteIt's the first time I celebrate the Thanksgiving festival，I never celebrated it before. This vacation I went to my friend house in Buffalo, New York. He is my best friends in China, so we didn't have a traditional American Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving day, we went to the Niagara Falls, it's really wonderful. No doubt about that the most important festival in China is the Spring Festival, but my favourite one is Mid-Autumn Festival. Our family members get together have a meal, eat the moon cake, appreciate the big full moon. China has many special festival as Mid-Autumn festival with different custom. I think I really had a fantastic vacation this thanksgiving Day.
ReplyDeleteI have been New York City for Thanksgiving vacation, in other words, I am now in NY finishing my journal. I love the city by the way, I live just near Times Square with three of my best friends. This is my first Thanksgiving holiday because in China, people don’t have days off on this holiday. We have visited lots of famous viewpoints, such as the 5th Ave., Chinatown, The Statue of Liberty. We are all having a good time here. Thanksgiving is a holiday to say “thank you” to someone. I have already sent messages to my parents, I love them than everyone else in the world. I have a great vacation this year, and wish everyone have a good Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteI am in New York city during my thanksgiving.The food in there is really good.I stay with danni zhao.She is my best friend. I decided to spend this thanksgiving with all my friend. We planned to have hot pot in the thanksgiving night.We went to the empire state.i enjoyed watching night view of new York city
ReplyDeleteI just had a good Thanksgiving last night with my host family from last year.That was a 20 people company.We had a very traditional meal last night which is very delicious.In my country,we have a big meal with meat.I like this paiting,that makes me feel warm.I hope Thanksgiving is a longer break.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first time to have the Thanksgiving.I spend my Thanksgiving holiday in New York. I live near Times Square with friends.I visited lots of famous places, such as the 5th Ave, Chinatown, The Statue of Liberty and Rockefeller Center.The NY is very beautiful city,I like this city and I also like this Thanksgiving.I hope I can have fun Thanksgiving every year.
ReplyDeletee_e, I have stayed with my host family for 4 days include the thanksgiving day. Thanks giving day is a important feast in american history and my host parents went to the market the day before thanks giving day to prepare for the thanks giving meal. My host mother bake the turkey from morning until we have the big meal. the most interest thing is they use a tube on the turkey to test the temperature inside the turkey to make sure it is cooked. we also had mashed potato and apple pie. Then we have ice cream for dessert. They said there is something in the turkey that can make you feel sleepy and they usually fall asleep when they are watching football game. We don't celebrate thanksgiving day in China but we also have some traditional Chinese festivals that are important to us.
ReplyDeleteWell,there is no thanksgiving day in China,so it's my first thanksgiving day.The plan of thanksgiving holiday is a tour of NYC.As a one of the most bustling city in the world,NYC is really nice,and really expensive.There are two main thing in my plan,sightseeing and shopping.We had go to top of the Rockefeller to enjoy the night view of NYC and we also had been to the Staten Island for the Statue of Liberty.And I spent Whole day at 5th Avenue,then buy lots things.Buy the way,I want to say,the Time Square is really good.I like it.
ReplyDeleteI have done my thanksgiving vacation in Boston, I really have a great time. It was my first thanksgiving day in America, everything was different from china. Actually, china don't have thanksgiving day. We played bowling and then I ate chinese food with my old friend,he is a freshman in university, and his friend- a japenese, in china town. It was a very great dinner and I was very enjoy it. After dinner, we wait in a line for bestbuy sale until 1 am. It was very cold during the mid-night. But it was amazing! There had lots of American there and we talked with each others. Finally,they bought a TV, a playstation, a monster , and something else. Although I bought nothing, it was a unforgettale memory for me. I also stayed in their dorm that night. The dorm in their university is good. I also shopping in a wonderfull mall next day with them and ate a very good japanese resturant for dinner. I was very excited and a happy thanksgiving day for me!
ReplyDeleteI have been Detroit for Thanksgiving vacation with Yuke. We lived in my uncle's house and have a great time during the holiday. We went to the GM headquarters and the downtown on the first day. On the second day, we reached Ann Arbor for shopping and danced break dance in the library of University of Michigan. During the black Friday, we got up at 6.00am to downtown and shopping all day. When we went back home, I found our suitcase doesn't have enough space to carry the clothes and bags back. So we bought a new suitcase at the time. Everyday we ate very full because my uncle always make nice Chinese food and we enjoy it very much. We took a lot of people and we think we will come back to Detroit next year.
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to take part in Thanksgiving dinner, because my family is not in my side. Our Thanksgiving is used to thank you want to thank people, such as teachers, parents, friends. We will send a greeting card that day, to say thank you.
ReplyDeleteOf course I am going to take part at Thanksgiving on the 24th. I am going to new york with my friends for my first Thanksgiving and I am looking foreword to it. In 24th, I am going to enjoy on sale shopping and have a big meal with my friends.
ReplyDeleteIn my motherland, China, we have a traditional feasts call mid autumn festival. The special meaning of this festival is family, people will have a dinner with their family and their relatives. Also every mid autumn festival, it will be full moon which also mean a complete family
Nice comments, everyone. It sounds as though a number of you experienced a typical American Thanksgiving, while a bunch of you went to New York to enjoy the sights there. It was interesting to hear about Spring Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival in China.
ReplyDeleteThanksgiving is a very important festival in America，it is different from China.In China,most people don't know what is Thanksgiving,so Chinese people don't have Thanksgiving.But in America,people always get together and eat turkey.This year is my first year in America，I had a super Thanksgiving with a American family.I lived in a American family in Thanksgiving vacation.That is a memorable experience，I won't forget that.
ReplyDeleteIn the United States, the fourth Thursday in November is called Thanksgiving Day. On that day, Americans give thanks for the blessings they have enjoyed during the year.Thanksgiving Day is usually a family day. People always celebrate with big dinners and happy reunions. Pumpkin pie and Indian pudding are traditional Thanksgiving desserts. Relatives from other cities, students who have been away at school, and many other Americans travel a long distance to spend the holiday at home.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first Thanksgiving in USA. I'm looking forward to participate at a traditional American Thanksgiving. My friends and i traveled to New York during this Thanksgiving day and we had a nice trip. We had a great meal Although we didn't eat turkey on thanksgiving. I had a nice day with my friends instead with my family. Black Friday is coming after Thanksgiving. I did have a great shopping in that day. I woke up at 5am in order to have more time to get more stuff. I felt extremely tired on Black Friday because i almost walked whole day.
ReplyDeleteIn China, the Chinese New Year is more important for us. All Chinese will celebrate on that day. People will gathering together and have a big and nice meal. Furthermore, we have a interesting thing is people who are married need to give a gift to the children. The gift is money. Children are very excited to receive that. We will wear ours new clothes on Chinese New Year, it is means that we will have a great start in this year.
Up to now,the world is becoming globalization,so I heard about America Thanksgiving already when I was in China.Thanksgiving means say thanks to someone who helped you in the past,of course your family especially your parents.It's my personal ideas.
ReplyDeleteI remembered on Thanksgiving day I was traveled in NewYork with my friends,I cannot remembered what we did on that day,but I was sure we didn't eat turkey even did not do anything about Thanksgiving.I thought we were not paid too much attention on Thanksgiving day,so I only can say what a pity!I hope I can have a nice Thanksgiving day next year!
In China,we don't have Thanksgiving day,but we have the most important holiday as important as Thanksgiving day,it almost like christmas in America,It called Spring Festival.On that day everyone is so happy and wear their new clothes,we also to set off firecrackers even it is a little bit dangerous but everyone is very pleasant.At New Year night,we eat dinner with whole family,after dinner,we sit together and watch tv,the tv shows us a lot os funny things,that sounds so good.At 12 pm,people eat dumplings and to see in the New Year.What a happiness thing!