Milford Giving Thanks: Thanksgiving Traditions

By: Luci Cappello and Kylee Payne, Staff Writer, Photography Editor

Thanksgiving is coming up and it’s time to start thinking about how to celebrate. In Milford there’s many different Thanksgiving traditions and annual events that celebrate the holiday in different ways.

    Every year, Foran High School and Jonathan Law High School have their rival football game the morning of Thanksgiving. This is a time where everyone from both sides of town come together to watch a fun spirited rivalry game.

    Although the rivalry between Foran and Law has been very popular for many years now, it hasn’t always been around. It started only 39 years ago when Milford High School closed in 1983, and the two separate schools were created.

    Athletic director Anthony Vitelli says, “Foran and Law have always played each other as school rivals, but in early 1980’s, the game was moved to Thanksgiving day.”

    Not only does it bring the town of Milford together, it brings past students back to our fields to watch the big, exciting, town rivalry game.

    Vitelli continues, “It’s a great day for our city. The alumni love coming back and it is a great day for our high school students to be a part of the game and experience the great tradition.”

    This is not the only Thanksgiving tradition that Foran has a club called The Giving Table works to make food for people during the holiday season.

    Senior Carolina Burcio, a member of the club, says, “The club was created as a way to give back to the community in a way that would give a direct impact.”

    The Giving Table Club allows the members to take a few hours out of their week to spend time cooking together, which helps people immediately, but is also rewarding and fun for the members

    “For Thanksgiving time, we usually prepare extra meals for larger events, usually these events are either for veterans or other people in need,” Burcio explains.

    As for Milford as a whole, the town has created some new traditions for Thanksgiving and fall time. Downtown Milford now hosts the Annual Scarecrow Fest, hanging up scarecrows made by local groups and individuals located along the Milford Green.

    Scarecrow kits are provided with materials needed to build your own scarecrow and when finished, they get put up downtown. The Scarecrow Fest is open to families, Milford-based businesses, organizations, and clubs, while supplies last.

    Employee Logan Aronson, who works at Micalizzi’s Ice Cream, a local Milford business, states, “The scarecrow fest really brings Milford together and gives downtown Milford a boost of holiday spirit. I think that the festival should be introduced more in schools to increase involvement in such a great activity.”

    Aronson has a clear view of the scarecrows from her register, and emphasizes that seeing the festivities brightens her work shift.

    When driving or walking through the Milford Green, the abundance of scarecrows display the town’s fall spirit, capturing autumn, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.