Piping-hot Thanksgiving takes: Snohomish elementary kids talk turkey
Published 1:30 am Thursday, November 24, 2022
SNOHOMISH — Apparently, we all missed Thanksgiving by two months. At least, that’s according to 5-year-old Chelsea at Central Emerson School in Snohomish.
In other breaking news, the time-honored tradition of a turkey feast is out. Pizza is in, Chelsea confirmed. But her peer Adrian countered with a different main course must-have: turkey cake. According to Adrian, it is a new vegetable-cupcake crossover.
These Earth-shattering revelations necessitated some further digging, and eight students at Central Emerson were kind enough to share their piping-hot Thanksgiving takes, interviewing in pairs. So get your pens and notepads out! It may just be time to modernize your Thanksgiving traditions.
First, what is Thanksgiving?
Mateo, 7: The pilgrims made Thanksgiving. I know that because we read books. Oh! And there’s cranberries.
Nicolette, 6: It’s a time when your family gets together and has fun. And there’s a giant table covered in food.
Adrian, 7: It’s Thanksgiving! I like to be with my parents.
Ellis, 7: Thanksgiving is when you celebrate what you’re thankful for.
Kasen, 6: It’s when you celebrate all the good stuff you have in your life.
Chelsea, 5: It’s all for your grandparents.
Evelyn, 6: It’s a big feast. … With all your friends and family!
Jake, 5: It’s paint. Yeah, and we use the brown paint on our hands to make the turkey.
What should people do on Thanksgiving?
Mateo: Go to grandma’s house. Grandma’s food is yummy.
Nicolette: I’m just remembering that sometimes when I was really little I cooked — I made — peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Adrian: Go fishing! I like to fish with my family on Thanksgiving.
Ellis: Probably travel around the world. Maybe to like Alaska or something.
Kasen: Celebrate! And play.
Chelsea: Play with dolls. Yeah, baby dolls.
Evelyn: Probably paint some turkeys.
Jake: Yes! Paint turkeys.
What is the yummiest Thanksgiving food to have?
Mateo: Turkey! (Impersonates a gobble.)
Nicolette: I actually never go, so I don’t know much.
Adrian: Everyone should eat turkey cake! It tastes like vegetables but it has cupcakes. My favorite Thanksgiving food is cupcakes.
Ellis: Mashed potatoes. (Pats stomach.)
Kasen: Pumpkin pie. A big pumpkin pie.
Chelsea: A pizza. Not turkey. Or burgers.
Evelyn: Turkey!
Jake: No. Not turkey. Ice cream! I like ice cream.
What is the yuckiest Thanksgiving food?
Mateo: Nothing! I like everything my grandma makes. Grandmas make good food because pilgrim girls did, too.
Adrian: Salad. And vegetables! Because I am allergic to vegetables. My parents make me eat them, but I’m allergic.
Ellis: Gravy! Yuck!
Kasen: Pumpkin pie — smashed in ice cream! (Laughs.)
Chelsea: Poop. (Laughs uncontrollably.)
Evelyn: Salad! That’s so yucky.
Jake: All. I like the ice cream.
Who would you invite to Thanksgiving?
Mateo: Every person I know!
Nicolette: I would invite a boy and a girl turkey and wait for them to be a couple. And then I would wait for eggs. And then we would eat the mommy and daddy for dinner. And then I would wait for the eggs to grow up, and we would have so much turkey.
Adrian: All my friends.
Ellis: My family.
Kasen: Everybody! Not in the whole world, but everybody I know.
Chelsea: My cousin. We live close.
If a turkey could speak English, what would it say?
Mateo: Please don’t take me home and cook me and eat me for Thanksgiving day.
Nicolette: Don’t eat me! Eat something else!
Adrian: This is all my school! I’m in charge!
Ellis: Don’t eat me!
Kasen: Would you like to eat me for Thanksgiving?
Chelsea: Gobble gobble!
When was the first Thanksgiving?
Mateo: We read about this. It’s the pilgrims.
Nicolette: I never know.
Adrian: Probably on the first day of school. Of this year.
Ellis: Oh, I do not know.
Kasen: Um, 200 years ago?
Chelsea: In September probably. Yeah, back in September.
Evelyn: When the pilgrims came. Probably thousands of years ago.
Jake: Yes, for sure, thousands of years ago.
What are you thankful for?
Mateo: The turkey! And grandma.
Nicolette: Well, actually, we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving. So I know nothing. Nothing. But I’m thankful for my parents.
Adrian: I’m thankful for my parents.
Ellis: For my house and my parents.
Kasen: Thankful for my family.
Chelsea: My Dad.
Evelyn: I’m thankful for my family. And everything around them.
Jake: I’m thankful for my family, too!
Kayla J. Dunn: 425-339-3449; kayla.dunn@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @KaylaJ_Dunn.
