Inside Destira: Thanksgiving Favorites

We are so excited to celebrate Thanksgiving this year! 2024 has been one for the books for Team Destira, and we are looking forward to taking a seat, relaxing, and enjoying time with our family and friends. Destira’s core values of Family First, Fun, and Be You are all celebrated during this time of year. 

We asked Team Destira about some of their favorite (and least favorite 😳) things during Thanksgiving. Keep reading to see what they say! 

What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish?

• Leftovers! The meal itself is meh but a turkey sandwich with cranberry on rye the next day, my fave! - Jodi L., CEO
• My son and I make sweet potato biscuits with pinot noir butter each year and while it’s just a small side, it’s always the star of the show. - Myriah Z., Senior Director of Design and Development
• Green Bean Casserole as it’s the only time of year to have it! And of course, pumpkin pie. - Krystal A., Director of Marketing and Consumer Success
• This is tough because I love a perfectly balanced bite of yams, mashed potatoes, and stuffing all in one! - Braylee O., Director of Sales
• Stuffing! - Emily B., Director of Digital Marketing and Analytics
• The traditional baked Turkey – LOVE creamy garlic mash with lots of gravy and stuffing. - Imee L., Assistant Print and Pattern Graphic Designer
• Turkey with mashed potatoes and gravy. - Inga O., Sales Operations Assistant 
• Does gravy count as a dish?! I’d say stuffing (covered in gravy 😉) - Taylor C., Merchandise Planning and E-Commerce Manager
• Oyster and Artichoke Soup! - Madison H., Social Media and Communications Manager

What is your least favorite Thanksgiving dish?

• No cloyingly sweet marshmallow sweet potato casseroles allowed! I'm a savory palate 100%! - Jodi L., CEO
• No one in my family particularly cares for turkey so we go untraditional and make southern baby back ribs or a giant tomahawk steak as our main dish, with all the traditional Thanksgiving sides. - Myriah Z., Senior Director of Design and Development
• Not a huge fan of rolls. - Krystal A., Director of Marketing and Consumer Success
• MEAT- I’m a vegetarian! - Braylee O., Director of Sales
• Green beans or collard greens in the South. - Emily B., Director of Digital Marketing and Analytics
• Green bean casserole. - Imee L., Assistant Print and Pattern Graphic Designer
• Stuffing. - Inga O., Sales Operations Assistant
• Dressing (or stuffing for those outside of the South) 😬 - Madison H., Social Media and Communications Manager

Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions with your family or friends that you are looking forward to this year?

• At dinner, we do a thankful circle. One person starts and says why they’re thankful for another person at the table, and then that person takes their turn with a specific gratitude for somebody else at the table. We go around until everyone has been recognized. It keeps the kids focused because they’re excited to be “seen” and everyone feels great at the end! We have a three-generation table with grandparents, parents, and kids. - Jodi L., CEO
• Watching Football and EATING! 😊 - Krystal A., Director of Marketing and Consumer Success
• We have been going to the beach the last few Thanksgivings with my fiance’s family, so that’s been fun to get away but only be 2 hours from home. We also do the majority of the cooking and I actually look forward to that. - Braylee O., Director of Sales
• No family events this year as they live too far but typically everyone cooks a couple of dishes and we enjoy a potluck-style dinner with tons of sides and desserts. - Emily B., Director of Digital Marketing and Analytics
• Back in Hawaii, I would be in charge of making turkey and my family would bring different sides potluck-style & local desserts. In Florida (with my husband’s side), we now have turkey at my sister in law's and she does it traditional Southern style. - Imee L., Assistant Print and Pattern Graphic Designer
• We play board/card games afterward.  Friends are welcome to come by after for pie. - Inga O., Sales Operations Assistant
• Not really a tradition but this year is special because my grandma’s 90th birthday is the Friday after Thanksgiving so we’re celebrating both at her house with an all-out feast! - Taylor C., Merchandise Planning and E-Commerce Manager
• The night before Thanksgiving, we always get together as a family for Oyster Night where we cook oysters, fish, and more! It’s always a very fun way to kick off the holiday a little bit early. - Madison H., Social Media and Communications Manager

What are 2-3 things you are thankful for this year?

• It’s been a wild year.
• Professionally: 
• I’m thankful for Team Destira and my amazing colleagues. It’s fun to drive towards success as a common goal and support Destira and each other through challenges. I am grateful for the way we navigated the hurdles of 2024 and continue to learn from each other – it makes success more meaningful.
• I’m grateful for our community – our customers, our vendors, our team. Business ownership and entrepreneurship is a masterclass in resilience, adaptability, and lifelong learning, and our community provides daily opportunities to connect, inspire, support, and improve.
• Impact: we made huge strides this year with the Women’s Sports Foundation and Wendy Hilliard Foundation. 
• Personally:
• Grateful for family and friends – my support system that encourages me and believes in me and makes everything more fun!
• My Health – huge part of my well-being! - Jodi L., CEO
• I’m thankful for my health and for the kind, generous hearts of my children. - Myriah Z., Senior Director of Design and Development
• My wonderful family always. They make every day fun and special! - Krystal A., Director of Marketing and Consumer Success
• So much! Health, family, and supportive people in my life.  - Braylee O., Director of Sales
• Family, friends, and my first nephew, baby Leo, born in October! - Emily B., Director of Digital Marketing and Analytics
• My health & my family. My remote work with a great women-run company. - Imee L., Assistant Print and Pattern Graphic Designer
• Healthy, Family/Friends, our Kitty! - Inga O., Sales Operations Assistant
• My grandparents are 90 and 100 so super thankful for every minute I get to spend with them. Overall, it’s been a roller coaster of a year but I'm really thankful that I’ve had my friends and family by my side through it all. ❤️ - Taylor C., Merchandise Planning and E-Commerce Manager
• I am always thankful for my family and friends who bring so much positivity and light every single day. - Madison H., Social Media and Communications Manager

Want to join in on the fun? Let us know your favorite Thanksgiving dishes and traditions by emailing us at destirastars@destira.com! We will add them to the blog! 

Happy Thanksgiving to all of the Destira community. We feel lucky to have the most amazing athletes, gyms, and families in our community. YOU are what makes us who we are, and we're so grateful for your friendships and support this holiday season. 💖