It’s finally November and you know what that means: it’s Christmas season. Well, not officially, but it’s no secret that Americans love celebrating Christmas early. I have seen countless posts on social media about people breaking out their candy cane pjs, writing their letters to Santa, and putting up their Christmas trees. I’m even guilty of listening to some festive music. Why do we skip over Thanksgiving?
Over the past week or so I’ve been pondering this question. Here is what I (a nonexpert on the subject) have concluded.
- Americans think Thanksgiving is a boring holiday
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Other than stuffing your face with Grandma’s amazing food, Thanksgiving is pretty uneventful. Some might argue that there is nothing special about sitting down to have a nice meal with family.
- Americans feel disconnected with the origins of Thanksgiving
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The majority of Americans cannot relate to what the pilgrims were experiencing on the original Thanksgiving. Why does it matter today? Additionally, people might be deterred because of the relationship the original settlers had with Indigenous peoples.
- Americans do not value family as much as in the past
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Thanksgiving has traditionally been known as a time to spend family, especially with relatives that you did not see often. With the advancements of technology, most people stay in contact with their distant relatives (or at least the ones they like). In this case, there is no need to all gather at one place.
- Americans get so excited for Christmas that they just can’t wait to celebrate
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Christmas really is a magical time of year. People just seem happier in December. Perhaps people are just trying to extend this period of happiness.
Personally speaking, my family loves Thanksgiving. As hectic as things can get in life, it is nice to have a holiday that is simply about eating too much food, watching football, and simply being thankful.