Some San Francisco residents celebrate non-traditional Thanksgiving

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- At the Sun Fat Seafood Market in San Francisco's Mission, it's a crustacean celebration with customers going crazy over crab.[br /][br /]Shirley Lai has worked here for 20 years. Every year on Thanksgiving, it's the same fishing frenzy.[br /][Ads /][br /]"We open at 9 but people get in line at 8 already," said Lai.[br /][br /]1,500-pounds of Dungeness crab will be sold for Thanksgiving alone, along with other non-turkey related treats from the sea.[br /][twitter ID="933828606240866304" /][br /]Nikhil Iyer and his roommate were scooping clams and oysters from large bubbling tanks. For him, Thanksgiving has always revolved around seafood.[br /][br /]"My family is a bunch of immigrants and seafood is a celebratory thing, and we think its tastes better," said Iyer.[br /][br /]Philip Kuttner is on the hunt for different shelled seafood. "Linguine with mussels, lots of garlic, white wine. My mouth is just watering."[br /][Ads /][br /][b]RELATED: [url HREF="http://abc7news.com/food/north-bay-restaurant-serving-over-600-meals-to-fire-victims-first-responders/2685546/" TARGET="" REL=""]North Bay restaurant serving over 600 Thanksgiving meals to fire victims, first responders[/url][/b][br /][br /]Carolyn Prien spent more than 20 years at the firehouse with her fellow firefighters for Thanksgiving. She recently changed jobs and has the day off to celebrate.[br /][br /]"The last couple years not working at the firehouse, I was adopted by a New Hampshire family and their tradition is lobster, so my contribution tonight is lobster," said Prien.[br /][br /]At Golden Gate Park, the tradition is now a family affair of enjoying the scenery, taking a walk, and having desserts first for the Bernstein family. One of mom, Tanya's daughter's clutching a large ice cream sandwich, with chocolate dripping down her chin.[br /][br /][b]RELATED: [url HREF="http://abc7news.com/society/annual-salvation-army-turkey-giveaway-brings-smiles-to-north-bay-fire-victims/2680167/" TARGET="" REL=""]Annual Salvation Army turkey giveaway brings smiles to North Bay fire victims[/url][/b][br /][br /]"I am originally from Ukraine and my family is in Pittsburg so this is the first time here with my kids, 5 and under. I am so grateful," said Mrs. Bernstein.[br /][Ads /][br /]Then there are those, looking for libations.[br /][br /]"Some people need to run away from their family and step away for a while and have a drink. That's what we're here for and everybody's happy," a bartender told ABC7 News.[br /][br /]Thousands of the Buena Vista Cafe's Irish coffees are slung here each day. It's a well-deserved drink for some.[br /][br /]"We volunteered at St. Anthony. At last class we fed 2,000 people!" says a woman and her significant other, who had just sat down at a group table with 4 new friends.[br /][br /]All total strangers, brought together by a tradition of coffee, and Irish whiskey.[br /][br /][url HREF="http://abc7news.com/tag/thanksgiving" TARGET="" REL=""]Click here[/url] for more Thanksgiving stories.[/b]