In recent years, it seems that the moment Halloween ends, people switch out their spooky decorations for Christmas lights. Now, I love the holidays as much as the next person, but I am so done with this over-commercialization that begins the moment the calendar turns to November. People are so excited by their Christmas cheer that they forget to celebrate one very important holiday, Thanksgiving. While it may not be the most glamorous holiday, there is a genuine reason that we continue to celebrate it.
To start with, you can’t forget about the food! It’s already an amazing day because you are free to stuff your face with turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, and whatever else your family eats at dinner. Personally, there’s no way I’m going to let people skip a holiday where no one judges how much food I eat.
Thanksgiving is also a day to be thankful for your friends and family, a time where you can step back and recognize all the blessings in your life. You come together with your loved ones and just get to enjoy being together.
And you might be saying, isn’t Christmas about family too? Well yes, but Thanksgiving is different. You don’t have to worry about finding the perfect gift for someone or making sure the tree is decorated just right. Thanksgiving is simply about bringing your family together: whether it be eating, watching football, or playing old board games, it’s a time for everyone to make memories that will be with them for the rest of their lives.
As a freshman in college, this is the first time I can really appreciate all the memories I have of my past Thanksgivings with my family. And I cannot wait to go home, spend time with my loved ones, and count every single one of the blessings in my life.
So overall, Thanksgiving is a day where you get to be with family, eat, watch a parade or some football, and just make memories. Everyone gets excited for Christmas, and I get that “it’s the most wonderful time of the year.” But when you rush through November just so you can listen to Christmas music without being judged, know that you are losing valuable time to enjoy the little things in life. And isn’t that everything Thanksgiving is about? Enjoying the time we’re given and being thankful for all the blessings we have?
So, if you get anything from this article, please try to remember this:
During Thanksgiving, realize that you have a lot to be thankful for. Let’s stop skipping over it.