Tap Into Tradition: It’s Kegsgiving Time

Happy Kegsgiving!

Last year, I told my family that all I wanted for Christmas was joy — and my family delivered it tenfold. This year, my wish feels a little different. This year, I want tradition.

With so many changes on the horizon, I find myself craving the comfort of the familiar — the rituals that anchor us, the moments that remind us who we are. And in our family, nothing marks the beginning of the holiday season quite like our beloved tradition: Kegsgiving.

I’m not entirely sure when Thanksgiving officially transformed into Kegsgiving, but I do know this — what was once just a holiday has become a full-blown family celebration.

The anticipation begins as early as September. Conversations turn to kegs, plans are made, and excitement slowly simmers. Our cousins pick up the kegs and send a photo of them en route to the house, and just like that, the countdown is on. Photos from the car ride to Delaware start pouring in, followed by an explosion of texts filled with pure excitement.

By Thanksgiving Day, the house buzzes with life. There’s always a crowd gathered around the keg in the garage or in the kitchen — while the turkey roasts in the oven. The air is thick with the smell of holiday goodness, laughter echoing through every room, and trays of appetizers in festive shapes disappearing far too quickly.

When dinner is ready, we come together around the table, filling the room with the comforting sounds of clanging silverware, clinking glassware, and overlapping conversations from across the table. Stories are exchanged, memories revisited, and new ones quietly formed.

Afterward, we head to the basement for bubble hockey battles, playful trash talk, and football playing in the background. It’s loud, chaotic, and absolutely perfect.

What makes Kegsgiving truly special is that it’s the one time each year we see most of this side of the family. It’s a day where generations come together — where the older generation finally gets to relax and enjoy while the younger ones step in to carry the torch. My hope is that this tradition, lovingly handed down to us, will continue through our children and their children, becoming a thread that weaves our family together for years to come.

We may only see each other once a year, but we make it count. We make it unforgettable. We make it Kegsgiving.

Now I’d love to hear from you — what is your favorite holiday tradition? What do you look forward to most during the season spent with family?