Pizza Thursday

Annie Frazier

• Published on December 5, 2022 • Last modified on December 7, 2022

I love this time of year. It’s a time to reflect on relationships, celebrations, and family traditions. The connection, the laughter, the warmth - and even the arguments and mishaps are the consistent moments that over time, form traditions. As much as we love these moments, we can also feel overwhelmed and inadequate; trying to create memories that our family members will cherish. Family traditions can be difficult, especially when we are short on time, money, and energy. Yet, traditions don’t need to be extravagant, stressful, or expensive. Recently, I’ve been reminiscing about our favorite family tradition – Pizza Thursday! Every Thursday night is pizza night at our house, as we crowd on the couch or pile on the bed for a pizza picnic and a family show.

Pizza Thursday began almost 25 years ago, in 1999. My husband and I were newlywed college students, living in a tiny university apartment. Every Thursday, a local pizza company left coupons on the doorstep of the student apartments. The coupon was a pizza delivery company’s Student Special – and it was a great deal! The minute we saw the coupon, we knew the weekend was just around the corner. After a long week, we would come home from work and school and pick up our landline to order the Student Special.

The first time we picked up the coupon under our welcome mat, we had no idea how much this tradition would come to mean to us. Unknowingly, we also started a tradition that our children wouldn’t outgrow and has been enjoyed each week whether our children are 21 years old or 21 days old. We have had Pizza Thursday in every home we’ve lived in, during every season, on vacations, holidays, during the pandemic quarantine, during the best of times as well as the worst of times. This tradition hasn’t been expensive, hasn’t taken a lot of preparation, and hasn’t been stressful. At the end of each busy week filled with work, school, appointments, laundry, groceries, chores, reading charts, and homework – we all look forward to Pizza Thursday!

Traditions are unique and special for each family. PBS KIDS has resources around a variety of topics to add to your family traditions. I found a variety of ideas that I can add to my family Pizza Thursday tradition. PBS KIDS can help your family with crafts, recipes, and PBS shows to enhance the traditions at your home.

Sesame StreetSesame Street: The Pizza Problem with Julia and her family

PBS KIDS can help your family with crafts, recipes, and PBS shows to enhance the traditions at your home. What traditions does your family have? Do you remember how they started? Why do you do them? Share your stories with us!

Showcase

How to Make Family Meals the Best Part of Your Day
Family meals might sound impossible to pull off, but they are doable if you think creatively to fit your own family’s needs.
PBS KIDS Family Night
PBS KIDS has a Family Night every Friday night. Find crafts and activities to go along with the weekly show.
What Are Your Favorite Family Traditions?
Honoring family traditions is important to kids and grown-ups across backgrounds and cultures. Sharing special traditions can strengthen family bonds and create a sense of belonging to children and grown-ups.
PBS KIDS Talk About: Celebrating Family
This episode of “PBS KIDS Talk About: Celebrating Family” features children and adults talking about the members of their family and what they like to do together. They celebrate the things that make each family special and unique.
PBS Learning Media: Making Family Traditions Packet
Use these family traditions-themed activity sheets to allow children to choose their own learning adventures.

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