The trees shedding their leaves and the sky turning dark at 5 p.m. can mean only one thing: Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Alongside tables crammed with mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, and a stuffed turkey, the season offers the Latin community plenty to be grateful for.

For Latin, family and friends are at the heart of gratitude, a hub for deep connection and kinship.

“I’m grateful for my family and my mom because she works so hard for me and my siblings,” sophomore Alessandro Pagani said. “And I’m grateful that we are all healthy.”

Senior Lucy Baer has a similar appreciation. “I am grateful for my parents and the support that they provide me on a daily basis,” she said.

Both Lucy and Alessandro will be spending the holiday with their family. “I’m going to my grandmother’s house,” Lucy said. “I’m excited to see a bunch of family and eat good food.”

Senior Medha Sharma is also looking forward to seeing family. “I’m excited because my sisters are coming home for Thanksgiving,” she said. “It definitely makes me grateful for family and friends.”

But the gratitude stretches beyond just family. Upper School permanent substitute teacher Eleftheria Lialios said, “I’m grateful for being alive and healthy. And that I’m still thinking and working. And being able to do my artwork and still being here at Latin.”

Although Thanksgiving is widely celebrated, every family has different traditions. Ms. Lialios, in particular, has one unique Thanksgiving tradition. “What I do is I always invite the youngest person I know, which usually is my students, and then I would always invite the oldest person I know,” she said.

This year, Ms. Lialios is inviting the youngest person she knows, her daughter’s friend, and the oldest person she knows, her daughter’s piano teacher. Her daughter’s piano teacher, who is now 90, is a blues jazz player who played with musician Ray Charles.

Ms. Lialios’ way of celebrating Thanksgiving is more than just a tradition; it represents the essence of what Thanksgiving is all about.

“I think the youngest and the oldest person is because we want to remind ourselves that we are still young and that we’ll get older,” she said. “And that’s why each day is so important.” Ms. Lialios’ tradition inspires those around her to be thankful and considerate of “what we do, how we treat each other, and what we do with our life.”

Senior Luca Presser takes a more moderate approach to his Thanksgiving. “I’m spending time with my grandma, family, and friends. And when I’m not doing that, I will be relaxing,” he said. “I love the idea of Thanksgiving, but I don’t love the food. It’s just very heavy.”

Thanksgiving may look different for everyone, but no matter what slice of pie they are savoring, who is passing them the gravy, or what their traditions look like, it’s a moment when everyone can pause and reflect on all the things they are thankful for.

Lucy said, “It’s one of those holidays where you don’t have to worry about giving people gifts, you just have to worry about being with family and having a good time.”