“Dang, the Lions lost again” my uncle and my cousins would say every Thanksgiving. There was always something that was coincident with every Thanksgiving and that was the fact of the Lions losing.
The house that my family and I go to almost every Thanksgiving is near Detroit, Michigan, so my uncle, aunt, and cousins all support the Lions. There are also a ton of people that come to the house every year for the holiday. My other uncle, aunt, and cousins from Wisconsin come, and my aunt's sister and her husband come from Chicago so it is usually a very full house on Thanksgiving. Of course, the family coming from Wisconsin are Packers fans, and the family coming from Chicago are Bears fans.
"One thing that unites them is how they make fun of the Lions... Every. Single. Year. "
Every Thanksgiving, my family and I, which includes my mom, dad, brother, and sister, drive eight hours to get to Detroit from Maryland. My brother and I usually missed school on Tuesday and Wednesday before the holiday so we would have more time to hang out with family. On Thanksgiving Day, the moms would help cook the turkey and other delicious dishes. We would give a little prayer and then, as a family, eat the food in front of the TV, almost always watching the Lions lose.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, my family canceled the annual Thanksgiving plans so we all stayed home this year. I am thankful, though, that my family is staying safe and taking the necessary precautions against the pandemic. I am also thankful that I was still able to enjoy Thanksgiving day with my brother, mom, and dad. During our meal that my mom made, we talked to the rest of the family through Zoom. It was still nice that we could still all talk and eat together. Although we could not do any of the regular traditions that we usually do, there was one tradition that continued: the Lions lost.
~~ Alex Henne, Class of '24
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