Red Knights are eagerly preparing for Thanksgiving break, with many packing up to leave the state for the holiday and others remaining at home. At BSM, some students proudly consider themselves “big-time travelers,” often using any break as the perfect excuse to catch a flight and escape the Midwest. However, other members of the BSM community find greater comfort in staying close to home and enjoying the opportunity to catch extra hours of rest in their own beds over the holiday rather than traveling. For them, the break is a chance to recharge locally rather than venture far.

The second the weather drops below 60 degrees, some students often find themselves looking to book a flight somewhere with warmer climates. Florida, a popular destination for those living in the Midwest, is often crowded for Thanksgiving break. The Sunshine State attracts many Red Knights; destinations such as Naples, Marco Island, and Cape Coral are the hot spots. When Minnesota starts to get cooler, the residents often look to beaches and resorts as their “get out of the cold” free card when traveling to warmer climates. “I love the warmth when it starts to get cold in Minnesota; it’s a family tradition of ours. We always go to Florida for Thanksgiving,” sophomore Grier Julkowski said.

However, this Thanksgiving, more students seem to be keeping the holiday gatherings local. Senior Abby Urbaniak and her family have a tradition of going to her dad’s hometown, located about 20 miles from the Canadian border. They celebrate their Polish heritage by making a variety of Polish foods and spending time together as a family. “It’s like a big Polish Thanksgiving, where my family and I can come together to celebrate with each other,” Urbaniak said.

As for the Red Knights who invite their extended family over to their own house for Thanksgiving, they often prefer the balance of staying home and leaving the traveling for later in the holiday season. After all, the point of Thanksgiving is to be thankful for what you have, not where you go and how warm it is wherever you may be traveling. On the other hand, the payoff for hosting Thanksgiving is the warm return of thanks when Christmas time rolls around. Senior Charlie Maguire finds himself thankful to be able to travel during Christmas time when the snow starts to fall in Minnesota. “Sometimes I wish we traveled during Thanksgiving, but we get to travel for Christmas, so it’s good to stay home for one holiday and then you can travel for another one,” Maguire said.