Christmas seems to be on everyone’s minds. From the cup controversy of Starbucks to different department stores beginning to unveil their Christmas wares, commercially, Christmas has already begun. It’s little wonder that the holiday dedicated to stopping and taking a moment to really be thankful for all that we’ve been given is being forgotten for the holiday that celebrates all that we have not yet gotten, at least commercially.
I’m not saying that the history of Thanksgiving is super clean or that it originally began as the nostalgic moment of thanks that many present it as today. The nationally recognized holiday failed its original purpose of holding the North and South together before the Civil War, and the traditional pilgrim version calls to mind the oppression of the Native Americans at the time. We know this. So what am I really arguing for? Why is a holiday with a sketchy past and an uncertain future so important to me?
Thankfulness goes beyond nostalgia. Thankfulness is something that too often comes too late. Too often it is only when faced with tradegy like the ones this campus and the world have faced in the past week that we step back to realize how much we have been blessed. It shouldn’t take tragedy to express unity and a thankfulness for the simple but overwhelmingly generous gift of life. Thanksgiving is a rare time when it is acceptable to withdraw from our normal life, and be truly grateful for all that we already have.
Sure, it’s the perfect holiday for people like me who have an ongoing love story with food and a really strong bond with family. It’s also the perfect holiday for someone like me who has been blessed with the ability to be with their family for Thanksgiving. It can be an immensely hard holiday for those who cannot do the traditional Thanksgiving with lots of loud family and lots of food.
However, this is the holiday when community is important, when we invite our friends to be a part of our family for the day. Thanksgiving is often a time of service. It’s a time when families come together to clothe the less fortunate in their communities with the warmth they need to survive the winter, and when doors of homes are opened to soldiers that are far away from their loved ones. It’s also a time when hospitality and love become the theme of everyone’s thoughts. When people think of the giving attitude of the holidays, their minds often go to Christmas or Kwanza or Hanukkah, but in truth these positive thoughts are born on Thanksgiving.
To me, this is the real gift that Thanksgiving provides and is the reason why I am so resistant to just skipping it for Christmas. I think that Thanksgiving reminds each of us how much we have been blessed, in family and friends, in life, and in all the good things we have. This reminder of how much we have been overwhelmingly blessed leads to the giving spirit that is so important for making Christmas more than just the greatest commercial season of the year. So if you really love Christmas, you shouldn’t just ignore Thanksgiving – rather, you should joyfully celebrate it as the beginning of good tidings in all man’s hearts.
Start off your Thanksgiving mindset this Wednesday with a micro-retreat in either CoMo or DeBart. Unlike traditional retreats, the micro-retreats were made to fit into your busy day. They’re sixty minutes of calm to reflect and experience God in your day-to-day life. This week’s theme is Gratitude. Also, feel free to swing by Eck Visitors Center, Morris Inn, CoMo, Geddes Hall or the Main Building starting Wednesday to view the collection of nativities from all around the world, made with loving thankfulness for the gift of life.
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