What Bermudian doesn’t feel a pang of homesickness if they’re off the Island at Cup Match? Onions in Britain missed May 24 so much they now hold annual celebrations of their own. Americans feel the same about Thanksgiving, a holiday that centres around food, football and family.

Can it be the same if you’re miles away from home? Here’s what Americans celebrating here today had to say.

Cancer survivor Renee Carter used to hold huge Thanksgiving dinners in Bermuda similar to the ones her family held at home in California.

“I would invite 50 guests to my home, a medley of people each year,” she reminisced. “We’d have a fried turkey, a baked turkey, a ham, collard greens, sweet potato, macaroni and cheese and every dessert imaginable — all made from scratch.

“The game was always on in the background. I’d get everyone to give one reason why they were thankful. Laughter was everywhere. There was never a solemn or quiet moment.”

She stopped hosting her dinners five years ago but her work as a hairstylist prevents her from travelling back to the US to celebrate.

“This year I’m going to the American Society’s Thanksgiving dinner at the Dinghy Club but [for the past five years] I’ve literally been acting like Thanksgiving doesn’t exist — just so I can function,” said Ms Carter, who has lived here for 22 years. “It’s the lead-in to Christmas, the beginning of the season of camaraderie and closeness. I miss my family. I miss that camaraderie. I miss all the preparations. I was talking with a girlfriend the other day and we were saying that if we could afford to fly home for one day we would, but the flights are astronomical.”

Artist Kendra Earls moved here 11 years ago from Atlanta, Georgia.

Like Ms Carter, she used to host huge Thanksgiving dinners for friends on the Island but she doesn’t have any plans this year. She’s planning to go home for Christmas and so decided to stay here for the US holiday.

“I can’t remember the last time I went home for Thanksgiving,” she said. “My schedule here is so busy. It was always just about the family getting together, eating really good food and laughing till you can’t stop. With my family you’re guaranteed to have a gut-wrenching laugh.”

Her family’s celebrations started in the morning with breakfast. Family and really close friends would come later for dinner.

“It’s a very social get together where we just celebrated being thankful,” Ms Earls said. “My family’s quite small but we compensate with extended family and really close friends who don’t have family in the area

“The Thanksgiving parade is really big and so we would always watch it on TV. It was just a full day of parade, football and everybody getting together. We’d have fried chicken and turkey and ham, greens and dressing, pumpkin pie and peach cobbler.”

Family Centre executive director Martha Dismont loves everything about the holiday. She’s a huge football fan and a firm believer in the reason behind the annual celebration: thankfulness.

“I’m going to be here because my church is holding a Thanksgiving service and I conduct that and I also provide a Thanksgiving meal for my Bermudian family,” she said.

“What I miss is being with family in the US; celebrating as everything shuts down. It’s more of a family coming together time than Christmas. It’s that opportunity to give gratitude in a very meaningful way. It’s something I’ve always treasured and one of the reasons why I provide a meal here is so I can share that.”

Mrs Dismont, who moved here in 1986 from upstate New York, follows the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“I used to spend hours with my brothers watching football,” she said. “Because my team doesn’t usually play I [don’t have to watch it]. I’m able to see the entire game or not see it.”

Jennifer Johnson Porter moved to the Island from New York City four years ago.

Although she misses the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade that passed near her door when she lived in Manhattan, she doesn’t mind celebrating the holiday outside the US.

“I don’t feel as rushed as I always did in New York,” said Mrs Johnson Porter, who is originally from Michigan. “Thanksgiving is a good way to mark that [it’s time to get] ready for Christmas, time to decorate. It’s really a time to get together with family.”

Acting Consul General Linda Rosalik: “What I miss the most is spending time with my old mother. There are not that many years left, and I regret not being able to spend the time together.”

Consular Chief Mila Millman: “I am actually going home for Thanksgiving, because it is very important to me to be with my family. I miss my children, grandchildren and my husband’s family. I miss the smell and feel of cold air and anticipation of a long holiday season ahead.”