When I was little, I didn’t realize just how underrated Thanksgiving is to many people. My family always made it a warm, important holiday, so I never saw from the point of view of the people who dislike or overlook this holiday.
First off, the obvious reason: the food! Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, squash. All those good old home-cooked meals and desserts. Apple or pumpkin pie with vanilla ice cream and a nice warm cup of tea, cider, or Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa. I don’t think there is any other day in the year that I get fuller than I do on Thanksgiving.
Another great thing about this holiday is all the delicious smells that come along with the yummy food. The home just smells so warm and welcoming around this time of the year. My kitchen is filled with the scents of good cooking, baking, and fall candles. How can anyone dislike such an aroma-filled holiday?
I would have to say that my favorite part of Thanksgiving is gathering with my family and being able to be in one room with all of them. I don’t get to see some of my family often because we live in different states, so it is nice to share a meal with everyone I love. In a family that does not get to see each other as often as others, Thanksgiving is very important to me.
When I was growing up, my mom would put the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on so that we could watch all the floats and singers make their way toward 34th street. This is one of my core memories of Thanksgiving mornings because I would sit so contently in front of the TV, mostly just waiting to see Santa Claus at the end, or watch the Rockettes do their dance. When the parade was over we would then put The Peanuts Thanksgiving special on. Even now, at 18, I look forward to going home and continuing this tradition.
I personally believe that Thanksgiving is about having traditions that you get to share with the people you love most. People can celebrate in so many different ways, but I don’t think that just because someone doesn’t celebrate it in the “traditional” way, the holiday should be overlooked.