Are you ready for Thanksgiving?

It's Thanksgiving week! It's a short week at school, and our annual Thanksgiving lunch is on Wednesday. Then we start a long weekend that's jam-packed with fun activities. We've included five of them below. If you are in New York City or close by, you should definitely check out the first two on the list. The next two are best spent with friends and family in a warm, comfortable home with some delicious aromas DRIFTING from the kitchen. The last one is for shoppers who are determined to SCORE some great deals at their favorite stores.

• JAM-PACKED - filled with something
• DRIFTING - floating
• SCORE - luckily get something; succeed in getting something

Here are the Thanksgiving events you should definitely take part in. Have fun!

1. BALLOON INFLATION - The balloons for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade are inflated the night before and kids of all ages enjoy checking out this event, which has been a tradition since 1927. For more information on where to go, visit nycgo.com. 
2. MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE - This parade is 88 years old this Thursday and runs from Central Park West to Macy's department store on 34th. Visit the parade's official website to get all the information you need. Can't make it to the parade route? You can watch it on TV. Visit NBC.com for information on their show.
3. NFL ON THANKSGIVING - Watching football on television is also part of Thanksgiving tradition. Those who can't help with the cooking usually sit in front of the tv to watch the game. Not into football? We recommend watching at least a couple of plays, a quarter, or one whole game to experience this American tradition. For information on which teams are playing on which channels, visit the NFL's Thanksgiving website.
4. THANKSGIVING GET TOGETHER - This is what this holiday is all about. It's the busiest travel day of the year in the U.S. because everyone--well, a whole lot of people--heads somewhere to be with friends and family. The main event at these gatherings is the Thanksgiving dinner, which is usually a feast with turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, etc., etc., etc., and some pie for dessert. Do you need some ideas on what to cook or how to cook it? Visit the Food Network's Thanksgiving website for some useful information!
5. BLACK FRIDAY - Last year, Black Friday started on Thanksgiving Thursday. This year, some stores are starting early and have sales lasting the whole weekend! To plan your shopping event, visit the websites of your favorite stores and know what you want to purchase ahead of time. The stores will be packed, so be prepared. Good luck!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving week and long weekend. Let us know how your holiday went. Better yet, share some pictures of your experiences!


-- Joe Yu, ESL insructor