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Obama Family Portrait

Source: Handout / Getty

While the Obamas have plenty of turkeys to carve and sweet potato pie to bake in the future, this holiday marks their last Thanksgiving in the White House.

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The day started with First Lady Michelle Obama taking to Twitter to share a #TBT pic of one of their first Turkey Days in office. (Their daughters Sasha and Malia Obama were 7 and 10 when their father was elected president.)

President Obama joined in on the old school fun, posting a series of vintage pictures of his family on Facebook and sharing a touching message for the nation and the First Daughters.

“Today, my family will join Americans across the country in sitting down together to give thanks for the good in our lives. This will be the last time we celebrate Thanksgiving in the White House.

For me, this house has served as the backdrop to the tough decisions and trying times that often characterize the Presidency. But it’s also been home― it’s where Michelle and I have watched our daughters grow into the funny, smart, humble, and extraordinary young women they are today.”

And when I look back over the years, what strikes me most about my girls is that, despite the challenges that have come their way, they have remained extraordinarily kind. They treat people with the respect and understanding that all of us deserve―no matter who we are, where we come from, who we love, or what we believe. It’s that bedrock belief in decency that can only come from an inherent optimism about the road ahead. And it’s what I find in all the young people I meet when I travel the country and the world.”

He concluded: “So today, as we gather to spend time with the people who matter most, let’s take some time to remind our children why we are so thankful for them. Because of them, I feel more certain than ever that―no matter what lies ahead―America will always be shaped by those who strive to be kind, giving, and fearless about the future. I’m grateful for that.”

The First Family also spent their day serving meals at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington, D.C..

(Um...Does Sasha have a new Bae?)

In addition, POTUS called a handful of deployed service members to thank them for their service, the Huffington Post noted. He also had time to deliver a Weekly Address calling for unity:

As a country, we’ve just emerged from a noisy, passionate, and sometimes divisive campaign season,” Obama said in his weekly address.  “After all, elections are often where we emphasize what sets us apart. We face off in a contest of ‘us’ versus ‘them.’ We focus on the candidate we support instead of some of the ideals we share … But a few short weeks later, Thanksgiving reminds us that no matter our differences, we are still one people, part of something bigger than ourselves.”

POTUS also hinted at the the racial strife that’s occurred since Election Day, CNN noted.

Never doubt, that is what makes us American — not where we come from, what we look like, or what faith we practice, but the ideals to which we pledge our allegiance. It’s about our capacity to live up to the creed as old as our founding: “E Pluribus Unum” – that out of many, we are one,” he said.

But enough about that: What did The First Fam feast on?

According to CNN, featured menu items included thyme roasted turkey, along with prime rib and creamed horseradish. Yummy!

Once again, we are going to truly miss the Obamas in the White House.

RELATED LINKS:

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How The Obamas Celebrated Their Last Thanksgiving At The White House  was originally published on hellobeautiful.com