Blending Heritage: How U.S. Hispanics Make Thanksgiving Their Own

By Maria Lucia Parra – I am a bilingual Hispanic marketing/UX researcher with extensive experience in identifying the right approaches to meet clients’ objectives, as “one size does not fit all”.

Thanksgiving… that American symbol of gratitude, togetherness, and stuffed turkey. But step into a Hispanic home on this holiday, and you instantly feel how the tradition has been transformed—filled with flavor, music, faith, and legacy. It’s not just a meal. It’s an experience, a ritual, and, for many, proof of how beautifully two cultures can come together.

In Hispanic households, Thanksgiving is more than just a holiday—it’s a mix of American tradition and cultural roots, vibrant with family, food, and togetherness.

Thanksgiving as Cultural Fusion—With All the Trimmings

If you want to understand Hispanic Thanksgiving, start with the table. Sure, turkey and mashed potatoes appear, but they are often paired with tamales, arroz con gandules, pasteles, flan, and some of the best pork you’ll ever taste. Recipes that have been passed down for decades are honored. New twists are always welcome.

One respondent put it: “We do the traditional American Thanksgiving food, but we also add tamales and other Mexican dishes to our menu.” Another added: “Celebrate with family and extended family. We get a turkey, but it’s typically small—as almost a token food on the table—and then we have the rest be normal Hispanic offerings.”

There’s a joy in this creative mash-up, making the meal an actual bridge across generations and cultures. As someone else shared: “We prepare the traditional American dishes like turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing, although my Hispanic heritage definitely influences the meal and the atmosphere. Along with the typical Thanksgiving food, we include dishes that reflect our culture, such as rice, tamales, and empanadas. The mix of flavors makes the holiday feel more personal and meaningful to us.”

Navigating Identity—Honoring Old and New

Thanksgiving isn’t just about eating. For many Hispanic families, it’s about embracing a bicultural identity. Parents—especially those who grew up elsewhere—deliberately incorporate Hispanic traditions into new American routines, teaching their children what matters most on both sides.

One parent admitted: “For our children, we celebrate… just so they know their traditions.” And for many, the real magic is in the balance: “Overall, I see Thanksgiving as an opportunity to embrace an important American tradition while still keeping a bit of my roots in the way we share and celebrate.”

Not everyone does it “by the book,” and that’s perfectly fine: “We celebrate a day of thanks, but usually not in a traditional way. So, we make food as a family and enjoy the day, keeping it low-key with food we feel like for the occasion. Sometimes that’s pozole, teppanyaki, burgers… it varies widely.”

Family Is the Heartbeat

If food is the bridge, family is the soul. Hispanic Thanksgiving is an “all-in” event—everyone is welcome, everyone pitches in, and everyone belongs. Multigenerational, neighborly, sometimes raucous, always loving. “We celebrate Thanksgiving out of a custom that comes from the United States… There’s a lot of conversation and a lot of food… Sometimes we pause to give thanks to God for keeping the family together and, above all, healthy.”

Before the first slice of turkey or serving of arroz is passed, there’s often a pause—a moment for prayer or shared gratitude: “Before eating, we go around, and each person says out loud what they are thankful for that year, often in Spanish, because it’s the language in which we best express our feelings.”

The Role of Joy, Ritual—and Honesty

Let’s be honest: for some, Thanksgiving is learned, not innate. Younger generations might identify more with American traditions, while older ones may feel a sense of loss over old customs. And yes, sometimes there’s “menu fatigue.” But music, laughter, dominoes, and simply being together? These never get old: “In my family, we celebrate Thanksgiving at my parents’ house with a big dinner where we mix American and Hispanic traditions…there’s arroz con gandules, pasteles, tostones, and flan…Before eating, we go around, and each person says what they are thankful for that year, often in Spanish…the music also reflects our heritage: after dinner, we play salsa, merengue, and soft reggaetón while we talk, laugh, and play dominoes.”

Recommendations for Brands Connecting with Hispanics

For brands hoping to engage Hispanic audiences around Thanksgiving, there are clear opportunities to resonate authentically:

• Celebrate the Blend: Highlight both American and Hispanic traditions through campaigns, recipes, and product offerings. Showcase cultural fusion as a source of pride, not just novelty.
• Focus on Family: Use messaging that highlights warmth, inclusivity, and multigenerational gatherings to resonate deeply. Hispanic Thanksgiving is as much about togetherness as it is about food.
• Incorporate Flavor and Heritage: Offer recipes, meal kits, or culinary ideas that blend classic Thanksgiving dishes with traditional Hispanic dishes such as tamales, arroz con gandules, or flan.
• Respect Language and Expression: Where appropriate, incorporate Spanish or bilingual content, especially for expressions of gratitude, celebration, and storytelling.
• Flexibility for Diversity: Recognize the diversity of Hispanic experiences—first-generation and U.S.-born families, regional cuisines, and different levels of cultural connection. Avoid generic messaging.
• Celebrate Rituals Beyond the Meal: Highlight music, games, prayer, and gratitude practices to reflect the full holiday experience.

About Our Sample

This story and analysis are grounded in qualitative research with 50 Hispanic respondents across the U.S., collected in November 2025. Here’s a quick snapshot:

• Cultural Affinity: 36% Heritage Guardians (high cultural affinity—tradition bearers) 64% Heritage Blenders (medium cultural affinity—flexible and adaptive)
• Age & Gender: Majority between ages 30 and 49; nearly even male/female split
• Geographic Reach: Key Hispanic areas: California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Illinois, plus other regions
• Household Mix: First-generation and U.S.-born, single homes and multigenerational families, diverse incomes, authentic experiences

At its best, Hispanic Thanksgiving is a vibrant, evolving story of gratitude, resilience, flavor, and home.