Imagine a traditional turkey-eating Thanksgiving: stuffing overflowing in giant bowls, mashed potatoes drowning in gravy, Uncle Bob sneaking his fifth beer behind Grandma’s back. Ahh, classic. What could be better than a day revolving around gaining a few pounds and reflecting on all that you are grateful for?

What few people know is that some people have spunky Thanksgiving traditions that may give this typical Thanksgiving scene a run for its money.

Brebeuf’s very own Madeleine McKinney-Torres, Administrative Assistant for the Dean’s Office, has a tradition that most would not expect: the Greek tradition of yaya bread. For those who do not know, yaya brad is a hard, sweet bread. Whoever cooks the bread hides a silver dollar somewhere in its slices. The bread is cut by a member of the family and distributed, and the person who finds the silver dollar is said to have good luck for the next year.

In Torres’ case, the tradition, started by her grandmother for no particular reason, has gotten even more exciting. Every year her uncle would come up with a new way to cut the bread; “I remember the weirdest ways he cut the bread were with a two person saw, a handsaw, and once even a chainsaw!” Torres laughed at the memory of the chainsaw and added blissfully, “He started it up and oil exploded out of it, getting it all over the kitchen. Grandma was not happy.”

If Torres’ wild uncle firing up a chainsaw freaks you out, then you might want to skip over senior Robby Morelock’s tradition. Morelock takes his turkey eating to a whole new level. “I love Thanksgiving. It’s probably one of my favorite holidays,” Morelock said seriously, his expression not faltering as he continued. “I would never celebrate with anything less than the best, which is why I kill my own turkeys to ensure that my meat is the freshest and most savory flavor that it can be.” A longstanding tradition started by Grandpa Morelock, the do-it-yourself slaughter began even before Robby was born. Although some might find it a bit radical, Morelock celebrates his Thanksgiving turkey killing with pride.

Senior Leighann Eckrich reveals a (literally) dirty secret about her Thanksgiving tradition: cooking her Thanksgiving bird in a trashcan. Eckrich exclaimed that the tradition is not as weird as some might think. “I’m not sure how it started, but I promise the trashcan is always new and the turkey always tastes amazing!” According to Eckrich, her grandpa succulently roasts the turkey by starting a campfire in the trash can and placing the turkey over it. Whatever gift it takes to expertly cook a turkey in her homemade oven, Eckrich has it.

Everyone has their delightful Thanksgiving traditions, even if some are a little less conventional than others. Whether celebrating with yaya bread, turkey murder, or trashcan turkeys, all traditions are equally important to the family celebrating them.