It's pretty easy to tell the difference between a regular Thanksgiving and a Latino Thanksgiving. A regular Thanksgiving features recipes, table settings, and decor that look like they were inspired by a lovely layout in Good Housekeeping. Nothing wrong with a "regular" Thanksgiving. A Latino Thanksgiving differs from a "regular" Thanksgiving because it not only includes some of the foods and decorations you'd find at a "regular" Thanksgiving but also includes foods that most definitely are not considered "traditional" dishes for the holiday, and signs of Latinidad are everywhere and in everything. It goes beyond pernil sitting pretty right next to a big pavo.
More from MamásLatinas: How to make the most delicious turkey EVER, with my abuelita's recipe
The traditions shared go beyond what we eat that day. In truth, a Latino Thanksgiving is all about foods and traditions that originated in other countries sharing space with foods and traditions that originated in the United States. Kind of like what supposedly went down on that first Thanksgiving celebration way back in 1621 when the Wampanoag and the Plymouth colonists shared a harvest feast. Anyway, here are some of the things that make a Latino Thanksgiving different from a "regular" Thanksgiving.
The turkey might get pardoned.
Get this! At some Latino Thanksgiving celebrations, the turkey gets spared because everyone would rather have pernil or some other Latin American delicacy. More often than not, though, you'll get turkey AND pernil or ham because … PORK!!!
Did someone say tamales or pasteles or arepas?
Tamales are NOT just for Christmas—they taste just as good on Thanksgiving, thank you very much. Some Latino Thanksgivings also include pasteles or arepas or ropa vieja, and it's ALL GOOD!
Pass the mole NOW!
Gravy goes great on mashed potatoes, and mole on turkey is AWESOME! No, for reals. A turkey in mole sauce is the bomb, and there's no reason why it can't become a Thanksgiving tradition.
Cranberries get interesting. Very interesting.
Why have cranberry sauce when you can have avocado cranberry salsa? Sounds good, doesn't it? Or you might also get a more traditional-looking cranberry sauce that's got a bit of kick added to it.
Rice and mashed potatoes are standard fare for us.
It's Thanksgiving, so of course you have to have mashed potatoes, but we need some arroz, too! Some of us add tortillas to the mix, too, because what's better than starch and starch? More starch!
Bring on the elotes!
I don't know about you, but I will pick elotes over canned corn any day. They are so good, and you can slather them up with all kinds of goodness and make them taste like Mexican street corn if you like.
Salt, pepper, and hot sauce — hot sauce must always be on the table.
There might not be any turkey, but you better believe there is going to be enough hot sauce to go around. There might even be some people who bring their own salsa just to make sure they get the kind they like the best.
Dessert is más better.
Sure, there might be the regular old pumpkin pie or maybe even a pumpkin flan, but if you're really lucky, you'll get chocoflan or homemade churros, and boy, oh boy, will you be thankful!
Let the games begin!
Someone is bound to bust out the cards, dominoes, or lotería because Latinos know how to be grateful and have hecka fun at the same time. Playing games is a great way to pass the time until you go in for a second round of grub.
There might be a little too much drinking.
There's always that one tío or primo que se pasa with the drinks. Somehow, they missed the memo that Thanksgiving isn't really a boozy holiday. I see a big bowl of steaming menudo in their future.
The living room is going to be filled with some well-dressed people.
Everyone shows up wearing their fanciest outfits to sit around the living room. You do not want to show up wearing something shabby, because you will get judged.
It's all about familia.
In the end, a Latino Thanksgiving, like a "regular" Thanksgiving, is really all about gratitude, togetherness, and family. The great thing is that you don't even have to be related or Latino to be part of the familia.
Dinner is served late.
It's kind of strange, because everyone calls it "Thanksgiving dinner," but some people eat it at what is usually lunchtime. Most Latino Thanksgiving meals are served late, like when the sun is no longer shining.
