There are a number of reasons why I love this time of year: the change from humid to crisp air, the leaves changing from green to reds and golds, and, my all time favorite, Thanksgiving.
A lot of people say the best holiday is Christmas, but I have to disagree. While I do love getting presents and decorating the tree each winter, I feel like Christmas was more exciting as a kid, when you wanted every single toy imaginable. Now that I’m almost twenty years old, the most exciting presents I ask for for Christmas are new sweaters and socks. (Don’t get me wrong, it’s always nice receiving new clothes for the cold weather!)
Thanksgiving is different. Thanksgiving is a holiday focused on spending time with family while bonding over amazing food which I never grow tired of. I’ve celebrated almost nineteen Thanksgivings now, meaning I’ve eaten almost nineteen servings of turkey and stuffing. And I can honestly say I still love them as much as I did five or ten years ago.
But there are other parts of Thanksgiving that make it such a special and amazing holiday. Check them out below!
1. Seeing family and friends after many months apart.A Thanksgiving episode from Friends
From a college student’s perspective, I definitely think this is the most important part. Many of my friends at school don’t see their families at all during the semester until Thanksgiving break. When the time rolls around, I can feel the energy around campus, with people chatting about being excited to see their siblings and parents. I think being in college and living away from home makes students appreciate their families more, and definitely heightens their homesickness. I know that when I go home for Thanksgiving break, the first thing I do is spend time with my sisters and mom for a few days, and then reach out to high school friends who I haven’t seen since the summer time. Despite loving life at Mount Holyoke and meeting new faces, it always warms my heart to reconnect with old friends.
2. Having a few days to relax and recharge.
The timing of Thanksgiving break is nice, since it falls between midterm exams and finals. I view my time off as a way to not focus on studying for a few days, getting my mind ready for the final stretch of the semester. I also love Thanksgiving break because it gives me time to truly focus on spending time with my family and friends, whereas when I come home on other weekends I have to set aside time to do my homework. So if you’re like me and are going home for break, don’t stress about your academic work yet! Wait until you get back to school for that.
3. Watching the football game.
To be completely honest, I’m not a sports fan. I don’t really follow New England sports teams and don’t know anything about them except the the team names. But a great way to bond with people from your community is to go to the Thanksgiving football game! I know that my high school’s Thanksgiving football game is very popular every year, and lots of my high school classmates attend to reconnect with friends. Plus, it’s sort of fun watching neighbors and friends who might be on the team!
4. Binge-Watching Netflix.
I hope it’s not just my family who claims we’re going to go running after eating Thanksgiving food but instead ends up on the couch watching Netflix! What better way to bond with your friends and family then to share an amazing meal together and then watch your favorite show? Seriously, this is the best way to wrap up your Thanksgiving celebration.
There are definitely many more reasons to love Thanksgiving, but these were my favorite! I hope you all have a fun and relaxing break! Happy eating!
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