Let Thanksgiving Shine

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. And no, I’m not talking about the approaching Christmas season. My favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, is coming! Thanksgiving combines several great elements, food, family and more food. Don’t get me wrong, I love Sweet Baby Jesus and Christmas, but the holiday has become too stressful and commercialized. I have too many people on the gifts list. I’m going to suggest that we all only buy one family member a gift and let everyone know we’re donating gifts to those less fortunate. But I digress.

I was in Wal-Mart literally the week after Halloween and they were playing Christmas carols. Feliz Navidad was on blast while I was shopping for food. That struck a nerve in me, and not in a good way. Why can’t people just let Thanksgiving be great? Christmas is overshadowing Thanksgiving and I don’t think it’s fair. I feel some kind of way about hearing Christmas carols when it’s not even the day after Thanksgiving. Once upon a time Nov. 1 until the date of the actual holiday was all about Thanksgiving. Now Nov. 1 through Jan. 1 is all about Christmas. We’ve lost Thanksgiving, New Years and even my birthday.
Sweet Baby Jesus is NOT pleased. I’m pretty sure He would prefer we celebrate giving thanks. After all, everything we have to be thankful for is because of God. I’m glad Jesus was born but I’m also thankful for things he has done in my life. We should be thankful year-round, but I think it is important to have that one big day as a culmination of our thanks for the year.

During Thanksgiving, I feel like family and friends bond just a little bit more. Other than having a good meal, you don’t have much to worry about. It’s all about food, fun, fellowship, football and more food. Food, glorious food. I can’t wait until I have my own house. I plan on hosting elaborate Thanksgiving parties. People go overboard decorating for Halloween and Christmas, but not so much for Thanksgiving. I’m going to change that. My goal is to always let Thanksgiving shine in my life. I have too much to be thankful for otherwise.