My distress over the loss of Thanksgiving goes much beyond decorations. I want to decorate my house for Thanksgiving because Thanksgiving is important to me and my family and I want it to be important to my children.
Why does Thanksgiving mean so much in the myriad of other holidays we celebrate each year? Because, despite it’s name, it’s the only non-giving holiday. Or I should say non-receiving holiday.
Christmas has become about the presents. Halloween and Valentine’s Day about the candy. Even Easter seems to now center around the Easter Bunny and Easter baskets. Thanksgiving is the only big holiday left that focuses simply on family and love. (Though Black Friday seems to be taking center stage as shopping begins earlier and earlier each year).
Thanksgiving is about being thankful for all we have, not asking for more. It’s about celebrating America’s start and the people who came here long ago to enjoy their freedom and who blazed the road for us to have ours.
According to research my sister and I have done, we have traced back our line to ancestors who arrived in Plymouth on the Mayflower and I’m really proud of that and want my children to be as well. I want my children to spend Thursday being thankful for what they have and excited to see their family and spend time with them. I want them to spend the day playing and celebrating and helping me cook our feast. I want to celebrate what we have and who we have to love.
Once Thanksgiving is over, the hustle and bustle of Christmas time will hit full force and it will be here before any of us are ready. So what’s the rush? I, for one, am going to enjoy the last little bit of Thanksgiving that is left!
