Written By: SOS International
The SOS Team is a festive bunch! One thing you’ll notice about any SOS staff member that you meet is that we are all very family-oriented. We love our families dearly, consider each other family, and consider YOU family! Holiday traditions are meaningful not because of the things that make them up, but because of the people they connect us with. We want to share some of our holiday traditions with you!
- At Thanksgiving, we eat, of course, and our family goes around the table and shares one thing and one person for whom they are thankful. We also play games and watch football. – Shelly H. Director Of Donor Development
- My favorite tradition is that every Thanksgiving, my mother and siblings gather at someone’s home to enjoy the holiday together. I have a lot of brothers and sisters, and we live in different areas of the country, so it’s not always just a drive across town, but could be a drive or flight across multiple states for most of us. We look forward to the time together and the feast that we have on Thanksgiving Day. Everyone helps prepare the meal, and everyone helps devour it. – Elisha T. Director of Community Outreach
- My favorite Thanksgiving tradition is Friendsgiving! I did not grow up with Thanksgiving so the first couple of years I celebrated it here, it was fun and I enjoyed the food, especially the sweet potato casserole, which is my favorite. However, we have been celebrating Friendsgiving at my friend’s parents out in the country for the last 4 years, and it is just the best time! We all drive out there, take our food, hang out outside, fish, target shoot, walk, build a fire, and just really get to enjoy each other’s company. It is the best time, and I love it. – Daniella H. Office Administrator
- We host a Friendsgiving dinner where our church community comes together to reflect on how the Lord has worked through us and with us as a group. We open the invitation to the group to invite 1 or 2 other families who don’t have family nearby or at all, and we have them join in the fun. Another tradition that my in-laws have is a long-standing Baklava day where the women bring an empty baking dish and one of the ingredients. My mother-in-law takes out her original recipe card to get us all to contribute. We assemble it in our baking dish to take it home to our families and friends. As it is baking, we have lunch and just spend time together. Growing up, I didn’t have sweet moments like these, so I am grateful I am a part of theirs and can help continue the family tradition. – Janie W. Director of Finance & Operations
- Currently, I am figuring out our Thanksgiving traditions with a young family. Growing up, I would wake up and watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade and go to my Abuela’s (grandma) house. I would play football with my cousins while the adults prepared the meal. Sometimes, my uncles would sneak out and join us. I loved those games in the crisp fall air, crunching leaves underneath, and walking back inside to smell the aroma of all the Thanksgiving dishes. We always ate right when the Cowboys game started. Then my Mom and I would go home, get out the Christmas tree, and decorate it. Today, my little family is building new traditions as we swap Thanksgiving every other year. – Javier P. Marketing Coordinator
