Thursday, Nov. 25 is Thanksgiving Day, and while everyone is preparing for the holiday in their own way, there are several common traditions that many people share.

The most well-known Thanksgiving tradition is Thanksgiving dinner. People from across the U.S. celebrate Thanksgiving by sharing an extravagant meal with their loved ones. This tradition dates back to 1621 when the Pilgrims and Native Americans shared a feast, what we call “the first Thanksgiving”. A traditional Thanksgiving meal consists of roast turkey, turkey stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, corn, dinner rolls, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. Many families also share what they’re thankful for during their holiday get-togethers. This tradition reminds people to be grateful for what they have and not take anything for granted.

Another popular Thanksgiving Day tradition is watching football. Professional football has been played on Thanksgiving Day since the 1920s, and since 2006, the NFL has scheduled three games on Thanksgiving. This year, the Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions will be facing off at 12:30 p.m. This game can be watched on FOX. At 4:30 p.m., the Las Vegas Raiders will play against the Dallas Cowboys, and can be watched on CBS. At 8:20 p.m., NBC will show the Buffalo Bills competing against the New Orleans Saints.

Many people also tune into the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thanksgiving morning. Taking place on the streets of New York City, this Thanksgiving and Christmas parade features various balloons, floats and musical guests that appeal to audiences of all ages. The parade will also feature Broadway performances. The first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade took place in 1924. This Thanksgiving marks the 95th anniversary of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This year, the parade will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and can be watched on the NBC channel or streamed on NBC.com or through the NBC mobile app. The NBC channel is also available on Hulu+ Live TV, YouTube TV and FuboTV. Following the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is the National Dog Show. The National Dog Show takes place every Thanksgiving and can be watched on NBC from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

One tradition that is becoming more common is early Black Friday shopping. Many stores start their Black Friday deals early, meaning that some people spend their Thanksgiving Day hunting for deals.

Thanksgiving is celebrated in a wide variety of ways, and everyone has their own holiday traditions.