Traditions, Turkey, and That Holiday Toke

By OG Strain — The Plug’s Pages Magazine

Thanksgiving hits different in every household, but at the OG Strain residence? Let’s just say the excitement level is somewhere between “pass the gravy” and “where’s that jar we’ve been saving for tonight?” Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, a little wine, the football game humming in the background—and at some point, a few of the adults slip out back for something special. Because let’s be real: is it even Thanksgiving if you don’t take a walk and share a holiday toke with the family members who get it?

But traditions weren’t always like this for me. Before the OG Strain household became the holiday hotspot, my Thanksgiving traditions belonged to a very different place—Watertown, New York. My grandfather, born in Cairo, Egypt, immigrated to the States when my mother was around thirteen. Every Thanksgiving, no matter where we lived, we all drove up to his house for the holiday. Aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws—you name it. We needed two turkeys every year, not for dinner alone, but because the next three days were powered entirely by turkey sandwiches.

If you’ve never been to Watertown, let me tell you: it’s literally Christmastown. And the weather? A tradition of its own. You’d show up on Wednesday and see grass. Thursday, still grass. Friday? Two to three feet of lake-effect snow dumped overnight like it was scheduled. And for a kid who loved hunting, waking up on Thanksgiving morning to fresh snow was the dream. My aunt lived across from a golf course on the edge of town, and deer walked through her yard like they were checking property lines. I never did get one on Thanksgiving up there, but the tradition was waking up early, loading up, and heading into that cold, white magic.

Saturdays after the storm, once the plows dug the world back out, we’d take the kids to the Watertown Zoo. Fresh snow, clean air, the whole place looking like a postcard. Those were the days.

And while nobody on my mother’s side of the family smoked weed, I always had a little stash tucked away. During my married years, me and my wife would sneak off for a quick toke every now and then. But when my grandfather passed, that era of traditions ended. No more big family gathering in Watertown. No more two-turkey weekends. No more annual snowstorms you could set your watch by.

A new tradition was born instead: everyone comes to my house.
And this year, the biggest blessing of all is that Mama Strain is still here—still healthy—and still cooking a Thanksgiving dinner so good it should be illegal in 17 states. She’s a Thanksgiving MVP.

Now, if it ever becomes my job to cook the turkey, my family already knows what will happen: I’m smoking that bird over cherry wood and starting a brand-new Strain family legacy. Only problem? Upstate New York weather. If I start smoking turkeys outside in November, guess who’s stuck in the freezing cold every year while everyone else is inside watching football? Yeah… exactly. Let’s put a pin in that tradition.

Hunting? I wish I still could, but my health doesn’t allow it now. What I can still do—and what I love—is starting new cannabis traditions with my adult kids. Not all of them smoke, but a couple do, and every Thanksgiving and Christmas I make sure I’ve got something special set aside. Something worthy of the holiday. Something to pass around before dinner… and after. Maybe even during halftime.

Because honestly—who doesn’t want to smoke before Thanksgiving dinner?
Who doesn’t want to smoke after Thanksgiving dinner?
And who doesn’t want to pass something around while they’re pretending the Lions might actually win this year?

Thanksgiving might be the perfect cannabis holiday. Family, food, laughter, stories, and that little shared moment that says, “Yeah, this is our tradition now.”

So here’s my challenge to you:
What are your cannabis traditions?
What do you roll, pack, vape, bake, or spark up on Thanksgiving?
Do you have a strain you save all year?
Do you sneak out back with your cousins?
Does your family have a legendary holiday smoke session?

Wherever this article lands—drop your answers in the comments.
Let’s hear your stories, your traditions, your rituals, your family lore.
Because Thanksgiving is all about passing things down…
and let’s be honest—some things are more fun to pass than others.

Happy Thanksgiving from the OG Strain household.
May your plates be full, your sessions be fire, and your traditions—old or new—be worth repeating.

And before you go—serious holiday question:
Is anybody out there bold enough to attempt a THC-infused turkey this year? Or maybe you’re keeping it classy with some “gravy that hits harder than the football game”? Let us know—because if someone’s out there basting a bird with cannabutter, we need that recipe ASAP. 🦃🌿