Halloween is officially over, the trees are beginning to look more bare daily, and the wind is picking up on the hill. For some people, these are signs to crank up the Christmas music and start hanging garlands and string lights. For me, these are signs that my favorite holiday is quickly approaching.
I don’t think there’s anything better than gathering with family or friends in a place that I love and sharing a wonderful meal. I didn’t learn to appreciate Thanksgiving until I went to college– especially because of the anticipation of going home for a break before finals. But before the actual holiday, there is the holiday season: the last tailgate, Catalina, friendsgivings!
When I returned home for the holiday in my freshman year, I realized how special it is. The festivities truly begin on the Wednesday before, when I reunite with my high school best friends. Known as Blackout Wednesday, or Big Wednesday to us, we celebrate our return to Long Island for the holiday by heading to one of our hometown bars and seeing everyone we graduated from high school with. I don’t have much else to say besides I love the time with my friends, and I normally cap out pretty early from either catching up with people, or dodging people.
The next morning, I always run my town’s 5-mile Turkey Trot with my younger brother and whoever else from my family spontaneously decides to run it that year. This year, my mom and her friends are allegedly joining us, so stay tuned to see how that goes. Following the Turkey Trot and breakfast, my family ships to Upstate New York, which is where the real fun begins. There’s nothing better than spending the day cooking, listening to music, doing puzzles, and catching up with my family. I love Thanksgiving food, and my family has a few fantastic cooks, which makes it all the better. The meal lasts for hours, and it’s always my favorite couple of hours out of the year.
If you rush into the Christmas season, you’ll be over it by the time Christmas actually rolls around. Thanksgiving is about being appreciative of the good things around you– this year, make sure to slow down, look around, and be thankful.