Although there are no clear statistics on how many turkeys will be served at dinner tables in Costa Rica later today, the Thanksgiving holiday is increasingly celebrated by more families in this country. To this end, it is not unusual to learn about supermarkets such as AutoMercado and PriceSmart running out of turkeys just before Thanksgiving. Who is buying up all those birds?

Author’s Note: The use of the noun and adjective “American” in this article conforms to the definition in Princeton’s WordNet: (A native or inhabitant of the United States), and the recommendation by the Associated Press Stylebook: (An acceptable description for a citizen of the United States). Natives and inhabitants of North, Central and South America are also Americans.

Thanksgiving is a holiday that is part seasonal, religious and patriotic. It originated after a feast held shared in 1621 by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag indigenous people in the days of the American Colonies. To this end, the U.S. Embassy in San Jose will be closed today. Canadians have their own version of Thanksgiving that is celebrated in mid-October.

It stands to reason that Thanksgiving would be celebrated by Americans who live in Costa Rica, who are estimated to be more than 100,000 if you count naturalized citizens, legal residents, and those who extend their visits by means of perpetual tourism, business, etc. There are also Ticos who have resided in the U.S. and who chose to bring over that holiday custom into their households.

Last year, national newspaper La Nacion published a survey among Tico readers who choose to celebrate Thanksgiving in Costa Rica. It turns out that there are some families who may not have any direct ties to the U.S., but who choose to celebrate this holiday anyway. They do so because they think it is a good idea to have an extra day to bring the family together, which is something that used to happen with greater frequency in Costa Rica but is now being lost in the throes of modern life. There are other families who enjoy Thanksgiving as a culinary holiday when they can serve not just turkey but all other side dishes such as apple pie, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, baked biscuits, etc.

Others are opposed to Thanksgiving and blame it on a larger process of Americanization that includes Halloween, but they do not seem to mind Black Friday at all. In fact, the post-Thanksgiving shopping rabble has been upgraded in Costa Rica to encompass the entire month and become Black November. In fact, the Transit Police plans to dedicate one lane of traffic on Highway 27 solely to shoppers who just need to get to Multiplaza in Escazu. In the meantime, restaurants such as Denny’s and Jurgen’s (in Los Yoses, where many American expats live) will be offering Thanksgiving dishes in Costa Rica today.