As soon as Halloween comes to a close absolutely no one is hesitant to break out his or her “countdown ‘til Christmas” apps. People are more than ready to go out shopping for early gifts and set up their trees and festive decorations. There is no end to the huge playlists of classical Christmas music blaring out of cars and dorm rooms. Oh, and don’t forget that in Ohio it starts snowing in early fall, and everyone seems to actually like it.
So what happened to Thanksgiving? What happened to looking forward to meeting up with family that you haven’t seen for some time and enjoying the fall evening? What happened to “friendsgiving” and making toasts on the countless memories shared with your best buds? And what happened to actually enjoying November in all of its ever-changing glory? Who doesn’t like soaking in the crisp Autumn air, the crunchy rainbow of leaves, and the utter excitement of Thanksgiving break?
It’s not a bad thing to prepare for the holidays! Lately there is just a bigger focus on Christmas over Thanksgiving, and there may be a few reasons for this.
1. The Truth
Thanksgiving is a holiday essentially celebrating the Pilgrim’s wipe-out of the Native Americans. Their colonization back in the 1600s is white-washed in our history textbooks. According to the New York Times, “Possibly the most common misconception is that the Pilgrims extended an invitation to the Native Americans for helping them reap the harvest. The truth of how they all ended up feasting together is unknown.”
2. Lack of Commercialization
The overly priced Halloween costumes and candy with the added early Christmas promotions outweigh the mere existence of Thanksgiving. Sure there’s the food, but where is the music, ugly sweaters, and genuine traditions? The Christmas commercialization overshadows the message of spending time with loved ones and being thankful for the year. It’s all about getting that next deal on gifts and getting a head start on the winter holidays.
3. Thankful, But Not Happy
Unfortunately this is the time of year where many people experience loss in their families. Coping with grief during the holidays is difficult for many. Thanksgiving is another holiday that focuses on family times, so getting through it with the absence of a deceased loved one is hard. If you or someone is going through the loss of someone during this time, here is a link to help coping with the holidays.
Regardless of whether you celebrate certain holidays or not, it’s important to enjoy them with the people you love. Surround yourself with positive energy and take a break! It’s not all about the glorified expectations of spending money. November is a month of change. So spend the rest of this month preparing for just that, and taking on the rest of 2018.