Boulder Magazine: Serving Up Gratitude
In Boulder, Thanksgiving is getting a makeover. While turkey and stuffing remain staples for some, local residents are embracing new approaches that prioritize connection, sustainability and inclusivity—all while honoring the spirit of gratitude that defines the holiday. From plant-based feasts to outdoor gratitude circles and cross-cultural mashups, Boulder families are finding creative ways to celebrate the season.
New Rituals Around the Table
For many Boulder families, Thanksgiving morning now begins not with parade-watching but with movement. Sisters Jill and Jessica Emich, longtime Boulder residents who run Shine Living Community, have transformed their family’s approach to the holiday by incorporating physical practices before the feast.
“One of the nontraditional things we love to do is move with everybody,” Jessica says. “Every year we host a morning movement class as a give-back event with a nonprofit partner. We invite our dinner guests to join us and move together before the meal.”
But their most meaningful innovation happens around the dinner table itself—a gratitude practice that goes beyond the traditional quick blessing. “We each cultivate that feeling of gratitude and share what we’re grateful for,” Jessica says. “We also spend time discussing what we want to bring into our lives, because it’s really meaningful to imagine how it would feel to have those things we’re hoping for.”
The practice isn’t always comfortable for everyone. “You should see our dad trying to do this practice. We know he’s rolling his eyes,” Jessica says, laughing. “But it’s exactly the reason that he needs to be sitting there doing it with us.”
Beyond the Bird
Perhaps the most dramatic shift in Boulder Thanksgiving celebrations is the liberation from traditional main dishes. Steven Redzikowski, a longtime Boulder resident and chef at OAK on Fourteenth, has witnessed this evolution firsthand in his own family gatherings.
“Nobody eats turkey anymore, which is crazy to me,” Redzikowski says. “Everyone says it’s dry, but I’m like, no—turkey doesn’t have to be dry. I still make turkey, and I’ll make a couple of roulades. Those seem to be getting more traction because people are actually willing to try them.”
When traditional preparations fail to excite guests, Boulder families are getting creative with cross-cultural alternatives. “Last year, we did the turkey and ham as well, but we also did a big pot of bouillabaisse,” Redzikowski says. “And that just flew; everybody devoured that.”
This willingness to experiment reflects a broader Boulder ethos of openness to new experiences. Families are incorporating elements from various cultural traditions—from the Shine Sisters’ big Italian family gatherings to Redzikowski’s inspiration from a French seafood stew—creating unique fusion menus that reflect their diverse communities and evolving palates.
Read the full article on Boulder Magazine
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