By the TMI Journalism Club
The Turkey Times
The Scoop & The Stuffing
What Time is the Right Time to Switch from Candy Corn to Candy Cane?
By Margo Delmer
Renowned as the most wonderful time of the year by Andy Williams and many others, the holiday season consists of twinkling lights, merry menus, and, of course, family and friends. Recently, especially as fall blends with winter, debates have been raging about the arrival of Christmas decorations. Some hold that Christmas starts as soon as Halloween wraps up the month of October, while others wait until after Thanksgiving or even mid-December to begin holiday festivities. Even in a poll posted by the TMI Journalism’s Instagram account, 73% of our community begins decorating for Christmas after Thanksgiving, leaving only 27% acting on the contrary. Now that we have officially entered the holiday season, no matter when one begins decorating, it is important to consider why we must not jump over pumpkins and into presents.
Following liturgical traditions, the season of Advent aligns with the preparation for Christ’s birth on December 25th. During Advent, many churches decorate with purple and pink while promoting acts of service and devotionals, emphasizing the period of celebration, starting on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, which, of course, is AFTER Thanksgiving. In other cultures, celebration occurs throughout Christmastide (the twelve days of Christmas). However, many amusement parks, such as Disney World, begin their December holiday events in early November. Additionally, many hold that Black Friday initiates the coming festive season.
Personally, I think Christmas should definitely not begin before Halloween, and exterior decor should not be assembled until after Thanksgiving. People must appreciate the turkey! Trees during Thanksgiving seem very off-putting to me since they overshadow the importance of the gratitude the holiday symbolizes, as well as the season of fall. Hurrying to the Christmas season interrupts the progression of seasons, which is something we don’t really experience in San Antonio. Nonetheless, I still like to savor the fall season and prefer to put off the cold weather for as long as I can during school, but I admit the cool winds are quite refreshing. Although I love Christmas and all the celebrations that it entails, the holiday cheer should be saved until after candy corns are long gone.
The Story of Thanksgiving
By Andrew Boutte
Every November, the holiday that turkeys fear most comes around on the last Thursday of the month. Known for the ridiculous amount of food, little of which is healthy, the act of gathering around a table with family and friends, and political arguments between your aunts and uncles, the first Thanksgiving is thought to have been held in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1621. The harvest festival feast lasted 3 days, and was shared with Native Americans and Pilgrims. This, at least, is the most popular First Thanksgiving. There was also a feast like Thanksgiving held by the Spanish in St. Augustine, Florida, in 1565, and a different feast with the English Settlers in Berkeley Plantation, Virginia, in 1619.
The harvest feast held in Plymouth is the most popular because it is widely considered the true origin of the modern holiday. The feast included fowl, hunted game, and the colonists’ first corn crop, and was held to celebrate a successful harvest after the first year of the colony. Originally, the Native American, or Wampanoag people, were not invited to the celebration, but joined after hearing celebratory gunfire, according to the account written by Edward Winslow, the governor of Plymouth Colony.
Thanksgiving became the holiday we know today partly because of President Abraham Lincoln, who made it a national holiday on October 3, 1863. New York, however, had been celebrating it since 1817, one of many states, all of which had it on different days; however, the American South stayed relatively unaware of the tradition. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush started the tradition of pardoning a turkey. Presidents such as President Lincoln, Kennedy, and Reagan have previously pardoned birds, but President Bush formalized the occasion, making it a White House ritual.
There are many traditions that are linked to Thanksgiving. One of the most prominent and popular traditions is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. Presented by Macy’s, a department store since 1924, the parade attracts more than 3 million people per year, spread along a 2.5-mile-long route that runs through New York City. The spectator count does not include the Television spectators, which got 31.3 million total viewers across NBC and Peacock, and is the most-watched entertainment program in linear television.
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year that emphasizes something that humans don’t seem to do enough: giving thanks (as the name implies). This Thanksgiving, try to remember to thank someone who maybe hasn’t heard it enough. Social workers, cashiers, our own mother. These people work tirelessly to make our lives easier. Thanksgiving is about more than food. It’s about gathering with family and friends to break bread and remember everyone who gets overlooked. So to those people, I say: “Thank you.”
Littleton, Cynthia. “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Viewership Tops 31 Million on NBC and Peacock.” Variety, 29 November 2024, https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-31-million-nbc-peacock-1236231221/. Accessed 20 November 2025.
“Thanksgiving 2025 – Tradition, Origins & Meaning | HISTORY.” History.com, 27 October 2009, https://www.history.com/articles/history-of-thanksgiving. Accessed 20 November 2025.
“Thanksgiving: Historical Perspectives.” National Archives Museum, 22 November 2021, https://visit.archives.gov/whats-on/explore-exhibits/thanksgiving-historical-perspectives. Accessed 20 November 2025.
“When Was the First Thanksgiving?” Colonial Williamsburg, 23 November 2022, https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/discover/moments-in-history/colonial-controversies/when-was-the-first-thanksgiving/. Accessed 20 November 2025.
“Which president started the tradition of pardoning the Thanksgiving turkey?” White House Historical Association, https://www.whitehousehistory.org/questions/which-president-started-the-tradition-of-pardoning-the-thanksgiving-turkey. Accessed 20 November 2025.
Día de los Muertos
By Victoria Katselnik
Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is a holiday that celebrates the reunification of the living and those who have passed on. It is celebrated from November 1st to November 2nd every year through honoring loved ones by creating altars or ofrendas filled with pictures, marigold flowers, and offerings. Traditionally, pan de muerto is eaten on this holiday. Día de los Muertos stems from Mesoamerican cultures, like the Aztec and Maya. This year in San Antonio, Día de los Muertos festivities could be seen at the Riverwalk, the Pearl, and the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center. The annual Day of the Dead River Parade took place this year on October 24th and showcased many vibrant floats and live performances. The TMI Spanish club also celebrated Día de los Muertos this year by working hard to set up a beautiful altar filled with many relatives and loved ones who are important to our TMI community. Together, these celebrations remind us that honoring our past can only bring our community closer each year.
The Movements of the Stars
By Andrew Boutte
Throughout November, several important celestial events happened. Things like meteor showers and eclipses. In the days of old, they were used to determine the thoughts and actions of the gods. Nowadays, admittedly, they’re a little bit less engaging, but some still find them interesting. For example, Neil de Grasse Tyson, and, alternatively, those interested in astrology, may be interested to know that children born from October 23rd to November 21st have the sign of Scorpio, and those born from November 22nd to December 21st have the sign of Sagittarius.
In other news, the Beaver Supermoon happened on November 5th. A Beaver Supermoon occurs when the moon comes to the closest point to the Earth, also called the Perigee, making it appear larger and brighter, like the end of Hermitcraft, season 9. The name originates from Native American culture and early colonial traditions, for the time period that marks the time when beavers intensify their dam building and reinforcements, and the peak time for trapping them for fur.
The peak of the Leonid meteor shower also happened on the 17th to the 18th. The Leonid Meteor shower is an annual event that occurs when the Earth passes through a debris cloud left by Comet 55p/Tempel-Tuttle. The first recorded instance of the storm was last century in 1966. Observers in the southwest US reported about 40 to 50 meteors per second during the span of 15 minutes. This particular event repeats about every 33 to 34 years.
Uranus came into opposition this month, too, when the Earth passes between Uranus and the Sun. Opposition is one of the best times to observe the planet. This happened on November 21st, and it was the closest to Earth it gets, or around 1.7 billion miles. Real close. It was visible at night right next to the constellation Tarus. Due to the unbalance between Uranus’s and Earth’s orbits, the date of the opposition comes about four days later every year.
Even though it can be dull at times, and the big numbers to time and distance can get a little intimidating, I think that astronomy and be really engaging, so I recommend walking outside, looking up into the cosmos, and remembering all the heroes and villains that have gazed upon those exact same stars. Happy stargazing.
Almanac.” The Old Farmer’s Almanac, https://www.almanac.com/full-moon-november. Accessed 7 December 2025.
Byrd, Deborah. “Uranus at opposition on November 21, 2025.” EarthSky, 18 November 2025, https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/uranus-at-opposition-closest-brightest-best/. Accessed 7 December 2025.
“Leonid meteor shower: All you need to know in 2026.” EarthSky, 15 November 2025, https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-leonid-meteor-shower/. Accessed 7 December 2025.
Mental Health
By Marissa Nunez and Mads Gonzalez
Although Christmas break is near, we still have midterm season to push through. For many students, coping with the stress of midterms and multiple tests can feel overwhelming. Managing that stress starts with breaking large tasks into smaller, more manageable steps so the workload feels less intimidating. Creating a study schedule with planned breaks helps you stay organized while preventing burnout. It’s also important to use healthy coping strategies, such as getting enough sleep, staying active, and talking things out with a friend, so your mind is able to stay clear and focused. Most importantly, remind yourself that progress matters more than perfection—taking things one step at a time can make midterms feel much more manageable.
Even though it can be dull at times, and the big numbers to time and distance can get a little intimidating, I think that astronomy and be really engaging, so I recommend walking outside, looking up into the cosmos, and remembering all the heroes and villains that have gazed upon those exact same stars. Happy stargazing.
NYC Mayoral Elections
By Maria Alvarez
On November 4, 2025, the New York City mayoral election took place, showing how strongly voters wanted change. Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist (D), won against well-known candidate Andrew Cuomo (I), his major opponent, and Curtis Sliwa (R). He became the youngest mayor in decades and the first Muslim mayor in the city’s history. His platform focused on affordable housing, public transit, and support for working-class families, which clearly connected with many New Yorkers, especially younger voters.
Mamdani’s win reflects a strong desire among voters for new leadership and progressive change. Now the question is whether his promises on housing, transit, and social services will actually improve life for millions of New Yorkers. Will his vision move New York forward, or will it create problems the city is not ready for?
Photo Credits: AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura
Pop Culture
Zootopia 2 Review (Spoiler Free)
By Jack Fitzgerald
Zootopia 2 feels like this year’s equivalent to Inside Out 2. It’s a Disney sequel film that’s setting box office records, while not being anything too amazing. I should clarify that I did find the film to be a solid 8/10, and even slightly better than the first. The main reason I found this film to be better than the first is that the end/climax of the film made a lot more sense, and felt more natural. Without some unnatural dialogue during the climax of the first film, it would be very difficult to understand the villain’s plan and motivations. Although I can’t include details since I want this to be a spoiler free review, I can say that (almost) everything during the climax of Zootopia 2 makes sense. There’s even a plot twist that happens, but the film doesn’t need to force dialogue in order for everything to make sense. The twist was surprising, but not confusing. I do find the movie as a whole to be an 8/10, I would give the whole ending section an incredible 9. I was on the edge of my seat.
The reason the film is still an eight despite the thrilling climax is that it took awhile for me to feel invested in the film. The first 30ish minutes weren’t bad at all, but events just happened without me being able to care all too much. It was nice that this film started with Nick and Judy together (compared to the first), and the world of Zootopia felt naturally expanded on. The issue I had was that the case Nick and Judy were investigating felt like something that could be solved, but didn’t necessarily need to be solved. There wasn’t really a looming threat that created a sense of urgency like the first film. However, once more information got revealed and it felt like more was on the line, the film started to shift from good to great.
Whether you would like this film is pretty dependent on whether you liked the first film or not. It feels like a proper Zootopia sequel. I would actually be down for a Zootopia 3. Regardless, Zootopia 3 does seem inevitable, since Zootopia 2, as of writing this, has made over $900 million in less than two weeks. To put that in perspective, the first film made just over a billion after spending 5 months in theaters. In the meantime, I will be patiently waiting for the Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Also, going to predict this now, Zootopia 2 will become the highest grossing animated film (record currently held by Ne Zha 2 with 2.2 billion).
Zootopia 1&2 box office numbers
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl4031743489/
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl2303754241/
Highest grossing films of all time
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_films
Wicked: For Good
By Maria Alvarez
Wicked: For Good premiered in theaters on November 21, 2025, and delivered a truly impressive cinematic experience. The movie stars included Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, along with Jonathan Bailey (Fiyero), Jeff Goldblum (The Wizard), Michelle Yeoh (Madame Morrible), Ethan Slater (Boq), and Marissa Bode (Nessarose). The music, composed by Stephen Schwartz and John Powell, gives the film a powerful and emotional soundtrack, with my favorite song being “For Good.” The costumes were incredible, showing strong and realistic detail that enhanced the fantasy world of Oz. While some viewers felt the film did not fully meet their expectations, I personally found it fantastic. The performances, visuals, music, and atmosphere all came together beautifully, making Wicked: For Good a release worth recommending with a soundtrack worth listening to.
Photo Credits: Photo from TV Insider
Plays & Pumpkins
College Football Rivalry Week
By Adair Griffin
All college football fans look forward to Week 14 of the regular season, Rivalry Week. No matter the outcome, the games provided intensity, emotion, and tradition that set the stage for the upcoming conference championships and playoff games. Here’s a quick look at the matchups, results, and what stood out about each game.
Ohio State at Michigan
Final score: 27–9, Ohio State
Tradition/history: ‘The Game’, and Ohio State’s tradition of crossing out all “M”s on their campus during rivalry week.
Highlight: The Buckeyes’ defense held Michigan’s offense to just 163 total yards.
Star player: Bo Jackson, who rushed for 117 yards.
Fun fact: Ohio and Michigan once had a real border dispute called the Toledo War, which now lives on through football instead.
Texas A&M at Texas
Final score: 27–17, Texas
Tradition/history: The rivalry is called ‘The Lone Star Showdown’.
Highlight: Arch Manning’s 35-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter that sealed the win.
Star player: Quintrevion Wisner, who led the Longhorns in rushing yards with 155.
Fun fact: The iconic rivalry was renewed for the first time since 2012 last season.
Georgia at Georgia Tech
Final score: 16–9, Georgia
Tradition/history: This game is known as ‘Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate’.
Highlight: Georgia’s defense allowed only 3 points in the second half.
Star player: KJ Bolden led Georgia’s defense, helping prevent Georgia Tech from scoring any touchdowns the entire game.
Fun fact: This rivalry began in 1893, making it one of the oldest in college football.
Ole Miss at Mississippi State
Final score: 38–19, Ole Miss
Tradition/history: The game is called ‘The Egg Bowl’.
Highlight: Ole Miss scored three unanswered touchdowns in the second half.
Star player: Trinidad Chambliss threw for 359 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Fun fact: The rivalry is named after the trophy, which is shaped like a golden egg and was first introduced in 1927.
Alabama at Auburn
Final score: 27–20, Alabama
Tradition/history: The game is known as ‘The Iron Bowl’.
Highlight: Alabama forced a late turnover to seal the win on Auburn’s final drive.
Star player: Isaiah Horton scored 3 touchdowns from only 5 receptions.
Fun fact: The Iron Bowl has produced some of the most famous plays in college football, including the Kick Six in 2013.
And just like that, Week 14 closes the book on the regular season, reminding us why the sport captivates us every fall. Next up: Conference Championship games, followed by the newly expanded College Football Playoffs.
Senior Spotlights!
2026 College Decisions Spotlights
By Margo Delmer and Maria Alvarez
Marcus Block
What are your plans for college?
I plan to attend High Point University to study entrepreneurship and business.
What is your favorite TMI memory?
My favorite TMI memory was when my sixth-grade class went to Enchanted Rock, since we had a lot of fun.
What is your favorite class?
My favorite class is calculus with Mr. Griffith because I like learning about the challenging material.
Madi Hokenson
What are your plans for college?
I am planning on attending Lincoln Memorial University and playing lacrosse.
What is your favorite TMI memory?
My favorite TMI memory is my freshman year advisory Thanksgiving, because the only food we had was HEB brownies and a huge bowl of mashed potatoes. It was very funny, and it was a sweet moment that everyone in the advisory had with Mr. Brawley.
What is your favorite class?
My favorite class is AP Biology with Mr. Friedrich because I am obsessed with Biology, and the rabbit holes Mr. Friedrich goes into are extremely interesting.
Nadia Nowosiwsky
What are your plans for college?
My plans for college are to study nursing at the University of Oklahoma as well as rushing there.
What is your favorite TMI memory?
My favorite memory at TMI is the first week of school during my Junior Year, and everyone kept hitting each other in the parking lot.
What is your favorite class?
My favorite class is forensic science because my friends are really funny in that class.