Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Whatever Happened to Thanksgiving?

I love autumn. It is my favorite time of year. The air is cool with just a bite of winter to it. I get to wear my sweaters again. I start making soups and hot cocoa. The leaves turn and fall from the trees. Kroger starts selling cinnamon brooms. Everything smells like pumpkin. Like I said, it's my favorite time of year.

So it makes me sad that after Halloween everything becomes about Christmas. It's only fitting, since my favorite season is autumn, that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love the simplicity of it. I love how it's just focused on family and giving thanks for the harvest, friends and family, blessings in general. It's relaxing. It's a turkey slow-roasting in the oven while M and Hubs watch the Macy's parade in their pajamas on the living room floor. After dinner we put up the tree and trim it. M loves it.

I was sad today. I went to Wal-Mart to buy some dish detergent and the store was completely decked out in Christmas. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas, too. I just wish that Thanksgiving could get its due. We have seven weeks until Christmas. Do I already have to have candy canes and tinsel shoved in my face? Hobby Lobby had their Christmas aisles set up in July. JULY! I was still wearing flip flops and dying from heat exhaustion.

So I'm pleading with everyone to just STOP with the Christmas-ing already. We have a whole month after Thanksgiving to focus on Christmas. Just stop right now and be thankful for what you have; for who you have. It's time everyone took a step back from the commercialization and just focus on their families for awhile.

2 comments:

Michele said...

I think Christmas in July is a good idea in a craft store - where a crafty person might actually require four to five months to make their own decorations, wreaths, gifts, etc. But in a regular store - no, doesn't belong. I don't need five months to put out a bowl of red and green mini Hershey's bars (like they'd last five days in my house). Thanksgiving is the one holiday where nothing but family is emphasized - no one expects to receive a wrapped present, a pillowcase full of candy, chocolate bunnies or cadbury eggs, fireworks to light up the sky. Just family around a big table with a giant turkey in the middle. It is wholesome. It reminds us to be grateful for the tremendous blessings and wealth we have in this country. I don't know why it gets skipped over.

Nancy Face said...

Thanksgiving is alive and well at my house! I took down all the ghosts and jack-o-lanterns on Monday and decorated with all our Thanksgiving stuff, and I love it! :)

I HAVE been doing Christmas shopping for quite a while and tucking the gifts away, but only because it helps to manage the budget and greatly reduces the stress in December, making Christmas time much happier for me! :)