Thanksgiving is just around the corner — Thursday, Nov. 24 — and students and teachers are making plans for the holiday event. School is out starting Wednesday, Nov. 23 and classes resume on Monday, Nov. 28.

For Thanksgiving Day, language arts teacher Cheryl Lindo is usually the headmaster of this holiday for her family. You will most likely find her preparing in the kitchen with lots of hands helping to get work done for her family’s big Thanksgiving feast.

“I get up early in the morning on Thanksgiving and start to cook that favorite turkey,” Lindo said.

With all the work in the kitchen, Aarhus loves to help out her own family by helping cook. With the many dishes her family makes they need all the help they can get, even when it can seem a little hectic to her.

Kennedy student Lexi Aarhus fr., also has a family event with special foods for her family. She describes her mom “like the devil in the kitchen” whipping up special Thanksgiving dishes.

“She wants to be the only one in there. It’s crazy,” Aarhus said.

Despite the hassle for these families with the cooking and baking, Lindo and Aarhus think the preparation is worth it once the food is completed and steaming right in front of their own eyes.

“The best thing about the food is the special dishes that you don’t have year-round,” Lindo said.

Many of their family’s favorite dishes are because of this holiday’s traditions. Both families make someone in their family a special kind dish. The food and decorative candles at Thanksgiving, with scents with food the oven and from candles being lighted, make it memorable. An all-time favorite Thanksgiving scent for both Lindo and Aarhus is the “sweet pumpkin spice” candle.

“I wouldn’t want to smell a turkey candle,” Lindo said.

Spending time with their families on Thanksgiving lets them relax and enjoy.

“Watching football with my whole family is a must,” Aarhus said. “It lets us relax and still spend time together.”

For both Lindo and Aarhus, the holiday is a time for their own families to cherish the moments together.

“Give thanks and be aware of all of the blessings you have,” Lindo said.