As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, it’s a good time to block out the negative and focus on the positive. With that in mind, I reached out to individuals I’ve interviewed and worked with this past year and asked them what they’re most thankful for and about their Thanksgiving traditions. Here is what they shared.
Saif Hannoush, founder of Lynwood-based Noosh Catering, is a native of Jordan. Prior to immigrating to the U.S. years ago, he knew nothing about the Thanksgiving holiday.
“Now it’s one of my favorite holidays,” he shared.
His parents don’t eat turkey, so his mom prepares Mediterranean food including Cornish hens, stuffed grape leaves and stuffed chicken.
Hannoush prepares the traditional Thanksgiving meal including turkey, ham and green bean casserole, and sweet potato is also on the menu.
“I’m thankful for my wife, my kids. They are all in good health, and I’m thankful to be opening up a restaurant,” he said.
The Homer Glen restaurant, to be called Filfil, will serve Mediterranean cuisine, and Hannoush expects to open it before the end of the year.
Michelle Sebasco, director of academic partnerships and continuing education at Governors State University, says she is most thankful for her family, that she earned a second master’s degree this year and for the university’s Jaguar Jumps program.
Jaguar Jumps is a bridge program for students with disabilities that helps them transition from high school to college and career paths. The program accepts students ages 17 and older. A grant from the Illinois Community College Board helps the program serve 34 students, she said.
“That has been magnificent,” Sebasco said. “I’m so grateful for their growth and the impact they are having on one another.”
Among Sebasco’s Thanksgiving traditions is sharing the opłatki, a wafer and part of a nonsacramental tradition. The eldest at the table breaks off a piece of oplatki and gives to the next oldest, who breaks off a piece and gives to next oldest, and so on, she explained.
“There’s a prayer, a moment of thanksgiving,” said Sebasco. “We hug each other and kiss one another. It’s special.”
It’s a Polish Christmas Eve tradition, but her family also observes it at Easter and Thanksgiving.
“It’s symbolizing love and unity within a family,” she said.
Alonzo Abron, founder and managing broker of Oak Forest-based A. Progeny Global, shares one Thanksgiving meal with his mother, brothers and sister. (Family photo)
Alonzo Abron, founder and managing broker of Oak Forest-based A. Progeny Global, is thankful his business has been able to navigate this year’s challenging real estate market.
“I’m most thankful for my family, my wife and children and their health and second for my team,” he said.
The young company is “competing with the big wigs,” and amid industry and economic uncertainty has persevered and managed to grow, he said.
Abron is in charge of the poultry for Thanksgiving dinner.
“Can’t too many people beat my deep-fried turkey,” he said.
Games are a part of the family’s Thanksgiving traditions including traditional games like Monopoly.
“We create our own games, like what’s that tune, what song is that?” he said.
Elaine Grande, executive director of Palos Heights-based eldercare services provider Pathlights, is grateful “to be a part of such a caring and compassionate community, not just family, friends and neighbors, but also the broader network of people and organizations who support each other when we need it most,” she said.
“This was especially evident during the recent cuts in food stamps, when everyone came together to ensure no one went without food.”
Grande, a native of Ireland, says among her most memorable Thanksgivings were experienced during her early years in this country.
“Celebrating Thanksgiving is such a special time to be with the people closest to you, but that is hard when you are far from your own family,” she said. “I have wonderful memories of being invited into the homes of friends during my early years here, when I couldn’t be with my family. Those friends became like family, and I never felt alone.”
Another memorable one was a Thanksgiving she spent with the man who later became her husband.
“It was the first time I met his family. I had known him for maybe a month and he invited me,” she said. “It was a very welcoming, lovely way to meet his family on such a special day.”
Asked if there’s a special dish she makes for Thanksgiving, she said laughing, “Good lord, I get my husband to make all the special dishes.” Sweet potatoes are one of her favorites.
“I come from a land of potatoes, but had never had a sweet potato,” she said. “The first time I had sweet potatoes was for a Thanksgiving meal.”
Pam Oliver, a community volunteer, media consultant and substitute teacher, has much to be thankful for this year including being a cancer survivor.
“I have a thankful list,” she said. “I am four-years cancer free.”
She’s also thankful for her grandchildren, including twins who were born premature and are nearly 2 and doing well. And she’s grateful the annual blood drive she launched in Olympia Fields in memory of her late daughter Kristin Arielle Oliver, who died of cardiac sarcoma, marked its fifth successful year.
“This year has been an incredible year, and to top it off my husband and I went to Spain, Italy and France,” she said. “To see another country and be healthy enough to walk and to laugh. We laughed so much. That means a lot to me.
“I’ve had some disappointments, but I know that joy always comes in the morning.”
Fershawnda Green, founder and owner of Poppin Plates, shows the ovens at her Lynwood incubator site. (Star Burst Fotos)
Fershawnda Green, founder of Poppin Plates, which provides shared commercial kitchen space to food service entrepreneurs and enclosed parking for food truck operators in Lynwood, is thankful for having recognized growth opportunities and for knowing when to pivot. When her shared kitchen space wasn’t getting as many clients as she’d hoped, she started holding events inside the kitchen for clients.
She is also thankful her family is healthy.
A part of her family’s Thanksgiving traditions is attending football games. This year they’re traveling to New Orleans to attend the Bayou Classic game between Grambling State University and Southern University.
Raul Garza, president and CEO of Aunt Martha’s Health & Wellness, is grateful for the team he works with including staff, board members, sponsors and donors.
“They don’t get down on the negative things that are happening, Garza. “They’re more focused on trying to help people.”
He said he is also thankful for his family, his wife and his two dogs.
“When I’m done grinding it out at end of the day, I get to come home and know we’ve done something to help people,” he said.
As for me, I’m thankful for my husband, large extended family and for the beautiful memories I have of loved ones who’ve passed on but are forever in my heart. I’m also grateful for the everyday heroes out there who are making a positive difference in this world.
And I’m thankful for karaoke — one of my family’s Thanksgiving traditions. I am one of the Temptationettes, as my cousin calls me, my sister and other family background singers when we join him belting out our favorite old Temptations tunes.
I hope everyone has a very happy Thanksgiving!
Francine Knowles is a freelance columnist for the Daily Southtown.
