Thanksgiving
Last week we discussed the importance of getting an early start to the holiday gifting giving season. This week we are going to take a step backwards and discuss the importance of Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a holiday meant to be spent with family and friends to celebrate all the blessings in our lives. Additionally, it is a great time of year to help spread some good to others.
Family and Friends
The holiday of Thanksgiving often focuses on food and eating. It is a huge holiday for grocery stores, catering companies, and party centers. Even though most businesses and companies promote food and the Thanksgiving meal, the most important part of Thanksgiving is being with friends and family. The meal is what brings everyone together, but the memories are made through personal interaction. We travel vast distances, at great cost, to be together; we endure the annoyance of airport security checks, and long lines at airports; and we tolerate family members and in-laws we prefer not to interact with. We make these sacrifices to bring our loved ones together and to take time to reflect on all the good in our lives. The Thanksgiving meal is meant to bring everyone together and is ultimately not what Thanksgiving is about.
Traditional vs Nontraditional
When we think about Thanksgiving, we imagine a large group of people joining together for an evening meal featuring turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and numerous other traditional dishes. We go around the table talking about what we are thankful for, and we reflect on the blessings of the past year. While this image of Thanksgiving is a mainstay for most households, it is not a requirement for the holiday. Some people prefer smaller gatherings with only the immediate family, and some people do not even make turkey. Additionally, some families eat a large Thanksgiving lunch instead of a dinner and some people skip the meal entirely and focus on planning a Black Friday shopping trip. The holiday is a nationally recognized holiday, but there is no rule on how to celebrate. If you prefer a traditional Thanksgiving meal and you love doing it continue to do so. However, if you want to try something new or different do not hesitate to suggest it. It is never too late to start a new holiday tradition and the entire family might grow to love it.
Generosity
One of the founding principles of Thanksgiving is the concept of helping to feed people in need. The pilgrims and Native Americans feasted together during a tough winter to bring them together. This is the basis of the holiday, and we must continue the tradition of helping others. Throughout the nation there are countless food drives and volunteer opportunities to help people in need. Many communities and organizations run turkey drives and other food donation campaigns and we should all contribute. There will always be people less fortunate than ourselves no matter the circumstance. Additionally, we never truly know who is at needs. We could have friends or family members who need help and are too embarrassed to ask for help who will greatly benefit from organizations we donate to. Finally, we hope never to be in need, but we must remember that we might need help one day and we need to support charitable organizations as we are able. Ultimately it is the right thing to do. If you do not have the financial ability to donate products or money, there are other ways to help as well. Food shelters and meal delivery programs are always in need of volunteers. If you have some free time this November look up ways to help and volunteer. All it takes is a simple phone call or email.
Christmas Decorations
The last good and bad thing about Thanksgiving is it is the time of year that we start to put out Christmas lights. We decorate our homes and light up our trees to brighten the long nights. Some people are very into Christmas décor, but we also all know at least someone who cannot stand them. Whether to decorate or not is a personal choice. Additionally, the size and scale of your display is a personal choice. We all want to put in a different level of expense and effort into our displays. Remember, do not feel obligated to do more then you want to. The point of Christmas décor is to have fun and if someone else in the neighborhood decides to go out do not let that effect your choices. Just remember to spend a few days this winter driving around and looking at the wonderful and creative displays that people make. They are put out for everyone’s enjoyment.
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year, and we must make the most of it. How we celebrate and who we celebrate with is our choice and we should plan to have a good time. So not matter what you decide to do remember to have a great Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend and enjoy the memories.