President Joe Biden participated in a heartfelt "Friendsgiving" event with the Coast Guard on Staten Island, adding a touch of humor while serving up holiday meals.

The occasion, which saw the president and first lady Jill Biden dishing out Thanksgiving fare, was marked by jokes about age and what he described as rare presidential "firing," as the Daily Mail reports.

During the Coast Guard visit, Biden delighted attendees by joking about being "dismissed" from serving and needing to head back to the White House.

The president's participation in the event lasted nearly 50 minutes, during which he served Brussels sprouts and acknowledged that he had to go before he would risk losing Coast Guard support and future votes.

As he interacted with the guests, Biden's jovial demeanor shone through, aligning with the Meet the Bidens tradition of honoring the armed forces around Thanksgiving.

Biden's Lighthearted Exchanges with the Public

The Friendsgiving event featured a wide array of Thanksgiving favorites, meticulously crafted by English celebrity chef Robert Irvine, who included President Biden's preferred dessert, ice cream, in the menu.

Attendees included active-duty members and their families, creating a warm, family-friendly atmosphere in which small children occasionally interrupted Biden's speeches. The president, however, was unfazed, humorously remarking on his familiarity with children crying out loud -- a scenario to which the Bidens are accustomed, he joked.

Reflecting his approachable nature, Biden shared a light moment with the crowd by discussing his high school football days.

He quipped that his team’s quarterback later advanced to the Coast Guard Academy back in "1912," a humorously impossible reference given Biden’s age.

The president also expressed his fondness for kids, mentioning that he prefers their company over adults, charming the event’s participants.

Throughout the evening, President Biden made a few more jokes, including one about sneaking extra dinner rolls to himself, emphasizing the light-hearted nature of the event. As part of the Joining Forces initiative, aimed at uniting and supporting military families, both the president and first lady Jill Biden showed their dedication by engaging directly with service members and their families.

Annual Traditions and Lighter Moments

The event at the Coast Guard was followed by President Biden's turkey pardoning ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House earlier that day. In keeping with his tradition of humor at these events, Biden made several playful quips about the fate of the two turkeys, Peach and Blossom, which he pardoned that afternoon. The ceremony, attended by a large audience, was punctuated by Biden's jokes about "fowl" play and the throngs of people "looking for a pardon."

The presidential turkey pardon is a light-hearted ceremony where the commander-in-chief spares two turkeys from becoming Thanksgiving dinner. This year, Peach and Blossom, raised by John Zimmerman and his son Grant in Northfield, Minnesota, gained a new lease on life following their pardon. The birds will now reside at Farmamerica in Waseca, Minnesota, adding another chapter to this uniquely American saga.

Amid the festivities, Biden shared a reflective moment, speaking about the honor of serving the nation as its leader, signaling a bittersweet note as this was his final turkey pardon. His tenure has been consistently punctuated by public engagement and a commitment to humor, even in ceremonial settings.

Holiday Plans and the President's Reflections

The Bidens' Thanksgiving plans involve family time in Nantucket, continuing their personal tradition of spending the holiday together on the island. Scheduled to depart on Tuesday and return Saturday, their trip precedes the president’s official travel to Angola on Sunday. Such traditions reinforce Biden's message of family and unity, echoed every year during this festive period.

President Biden's involvement with the turkey pardon this year also brought a discussion on presidential forgiveness to the forefront, especially considering Hunter Biden’s upcoming sentencing for tax-related offenses. Biden, however, has made it clear he will neither pardon nor alter the potential sentence for his son, indicating a separation of family and state duties.

As the nation gears up for Thanksgiving, these traditions -- both the Friendsgiving event and the turkey pardoning -- highlight the lighter, more unifying aspects of the presidential role, interwoven with humor and a personal touch.

For President Biden, age is just another reason to connect jovially with the public he serves, bridging gaps with warmth and laughter.