Family and food bring out the Thanksgiving spiritI would like to help myself and all my readers remember what it’s like to be a kid at Thanksgiving time. As an adult, I think Thanksgiving has a charm — it’s at a special time of year, just after harvest, when we have a reason to gather for a big meal and enjoy thankful thoughts. Even with that charm, Thanksgiving doesn’t earn near as much fanfare as other holidays, especially with children.To the children in Mary Jacobson’s kindergarten class in Luverne, Thanksgiving is about all kinds of things. I conducted mini-interviews with those students and this is some of what they had to say about the holiday:oMadilyn Dinger said her favorite part of Thanksgiving was having turkey. She said, "We celebrate Thanksgiving because it’s fun. I’m thankful when I get to help take care of my little sister."oJim Erickson said, "I’m thankful for my mom and dad because I love them." He said his family celebrates by sitting at a "special table" and eating turkey, corn and sometimes deer. He said his mom makes a good turkey by baking it with lettuce. "She puts a little salt on it — I like salt — and some spice that makes it taste really good with the salt. It cooks for about one hour."oPayton Fick said he would like to hunt pheasant and cook it for Thanksgiving. He said the holiday Thanksgiving was designed as a "time to be thankful for all the food." oEva Kruse said for Thanksgiving, "We always eat together and do family stuff and snuggle and stuff."She said Thanksgiving was invented "because people want another holiday." If she could cook a Thanksgiving meal, it would include turkey, potatoes, ham, french fries and something to drink.oKasyn Kruse doesn’t like turkey (it would probably take 30 seconds to cook one). He hopes someone gives him chicken nuggets instead. He said he can’t remember what he normally does on Thanksgiving. "I think we eat," he said. He is thankful for a race car. oKalee Morrison said she’s thankful when her parents take her places. She likes to eat a turkey in a pie that cooks for 10 or nine minutes.oCourtney Nath said Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate "because you like to eat turkey." She also likes onion bread that she eats at her grandma and grandpa’s house. "I’m thankful for my whole family," she said.oTucker Oeltjenbruns said he is thankful for his mom and dad. He likes the way they cook a turkey on Thanksgiving, but they have it other days of the year, too.oJocilyn Oye said her family has Thanksgiving for God and it’s the only day they eat turkey. "I’m thankful for my family and friends," she said.oMichael Rahm said Thanksgiving is about the "Pilgrims and Indians helping each other out." He likes cranberries and ice cream, but not together. He is thankful for being able to go to his friend’s birthday party.oDonald Ray said he is thankful for his dog and two cats. He hopes he gets to eat chicken and dumplings on Thanksgiving. "I think we are going to our friends’ house on Thanksgiving," he said.oAnthony Rogers said he likes to go to his grandma’s on Thanksgiving where he can play. "We go out to eat to get good food. One time my dad made a pizza that was good," he said. One day Anthony will make his own turkey by throwing it into a fire where it will cook fast because of the high temperature. "I am thankful for my mom and dad." Sometimes he is not thankful for his four sisters, however.oMcKenna Westphal said she couldn’t remember much about Thanksgiving. "I know it’s about turkeys and you wash them, but I don’t know how to cook one." She is thankful for her mom and dad and her sister. oTrey Baustian said he likes Thanksgiving and traveling to see his grandparents. He is thankful for his toys, and "When we put up stuff that I make at school."oMitchell Buss said, "It’s a special day. I eat turkey and I like it." He is thankful for his mom and dad … and for the times when he can beat his big brother at wrestling.I guess it looks like Thanksgiving means the same to most 5-year-olds as it does to me. It’s about food and togetherness … even though sometimes it’s about bad food and wrestling family members.