Serving Up Gratitude

How Boulder does Thanksgiving differently

By Lexi Marshall

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.

Plant-Forward Celebrations

The shift away from traditional meat-centric meals has opened doors for more plant-based celebrations. The Emich sisters focus on what they call “nutritionally inspired comfort food”—dishes like sweet potato gratin made with cashew cream and cauliflower potato mash that maintain the comfort factor while adding nutritional value.

“We’re super grateful for the local seasonal food, recognizing that this is right around harvest season,” Jessica says. “Each person, if they want, can bring a dish and really show what they love.”

This approach not only welcomes an increasing number of vegetarian and vegan family members, but also invites everyone to explore new flavors and preparations. “Each year, we see more dietary restrictions within our group,” Redzikowski says. “It’s become part of the tradition—figuring out how to accommodate the latest one.”

The Multigenerational Experience

Boulder families are also rethinking who participates in Thanksgiving preparation. Rather than relegating children to the kids’ table, many are creating truly multigenerational experiences that involve everyone in the cooking process.

“Getting the kids involved really helps,” Jessica says. “Whether they’re coming to the farm to help pick out ingredients, cleaning green beans or helping with certain parts of the meal—making them part of it helps them feel involved and encourages them to try more things.”

This approach extends beyond just cooking. The Emich family’s gratitude practice includes everyone from kids to grandparents, “all moving and breathing and connecting and enjoying together,” as they put it.

The Modern Host

For Boulder residents looking to reimagine their own celebrations, local hosts offer practical advice that prioritizes connection over perfection. Redzikowski emphasizes preparation and flexibility: “Whatever you do, just make it simple. Try to prep as much as you can ahead of time. The stuffing’s already done the day before—it’s just not baked. I actually do all my whipped potatoes the day before.”

More importantly, he advocates for listening to your guests rather than adhering to tradition for tradition’s sake: “Listen to what the people want to eat. There’s a time to be a chef and let your inspiration come out, but there’s also a time to say, ‘This is what the people want.’”

The Emich sisters encourage experimentation and creativity. “It’s not about everything being perfect—it’s about bringing more of who you are, incorporating what’s being grown here and making it all about connection,” Jill says.

Adapting to Change

Even Boulder’s most traditional celebrations are evolving with the times. At Chautauqua Dining Hall, Gerald Manning of Three Leaf Concepts has witnessed how families adapt their longtime traditions. While maintaining its “Colorado bistro” philosophy with locally sourced ingredients, the Dining Hall has added takeaway options for families who want the traditional menu but prefer celebrating at home.

Yet the in-person experience remains the heart of what makes Chautauqua iconic. This historic venue has become a Boulder Thanksgiving institution, with families booking next year’s reservations as they finish dinner. The hybrid service style—combining family-style sharing with individual plates—creates the community connection that defines the holiday, while the menu celebrates Boulder’s culinary identity. Alongside traditional turkey, diners enjoy Colorado trout and roasted New York strip paired with vegetables from Three Leaf’s Lafayette farm. The restaurant’s popularity is undeniable: Manning typically sells out the 400-plus capacity by October, with signature dishes like butternut squash bisque and roasted Brussels sprouts with lemon preserve becoming beloved annual traditions.

Chautauqua joins other Boulder Thanksgiving stalwarts including Hotel Boulderado, Greenbriar Inn, Jill’s Restaurant and The Kitchen in proving that tradition doesn’t have to be static. The key insight from Boulder’s evolving holiday landscape isn’t that tradition is disappearing—it’s being thoughtfully reimagined to serve contemporary values while honoring what has always mattered most.

A Holiday Transformed

What emerges from Boulder’s diverse approaches to Thanksgiving is a holiday in transition. The emphasis has shifted from adhering to prescribed traditions to creating meaningful experiences that reflect each family’s values and composition.

For many Boulder families, this has meant incorporating service into their holiday traditions. Organizations like Bridge House offer opportunities for families to volunteer together, creating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for those experiencing homelessness through their annual Thanksgiving Sandwich Drive. Similarly, the Harvest of Hope Pantry runs a Thanksgiving Food Drive, accepting turkey donations for local families in need, while also welcoming non-perishables and monetary gifts. 

Service even takes the form of a morning run: The Alpine Bank Boulder Thanksgiving Day 5K, held this year on Thursday, November 27, raises funds and collects food for Harvest of Hope. Every dollar donated helps provide roughly $8 worth of groceries for those facing food insecurity.

These volunteer experiences—whether on foot, in the kitchen or at a donation drop-off—have become part of how Boulder residents define their holiday celebrations, expanding gratitude beyond their own tables to encompass the broader community.

“Since what we all went through in 2020, I really believe that people are more aware of how important community is and how important it is to reach out and connect to one another,” Jill says.

As Boulder residents discover, the most important ingredient in any Thanksgiving celebration isn’t the turkey—it’s the intention to create meaningful moments with the people who matter most.