It is the week of Thanksgiving and you know what that means . . . .
My roommate is signing Christmas music.
Christmas decorations are popping up at my office building.
Pictures of Santa and snowmen are appearing all over my social media accounts.
. . . Does anyone else see anything wrong with this picture?
Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday and each year I get more and more upset that the big guy in the red suit and crass commercialism is overrunning my favorite day. I’m surprised the media remembers that there is such a holiday as Thanksgiving since all they seem to be able to talk about is Black Friday. Let’s obscure the day of appreciation for one of overindulgence and excessive spending! Gooooo Deals!
I guess the meaning of Thanksgiving doesn’t really fit into an easy box. There’s no overarching religious meaning. There’s no presents. There’s no mascot that you can trot out to spew soundbites.
Thanksgiving is about coming together. At a time when our world is seeing bigger divides, spurned by terror and racism and fear, it would help us to remember the meaning behind it. Of the Pilgrims and the Indians coming together in communion and friendship to share a feast together. Of looking beyond what’s different to what’s the same. To appreciating the things in life we can have in abundance – health, hope, happiness.
To me, Thanksgiving is about warm smiles surrounding a warm meal, food with family and friends, togetherness along with the turkey. Oh, and pumpkin pie – I Love pumpkin pie. But it’s not about running through stores to buy things I don’t need, making people work on a national holiday. It’s not about waiting in line to be the first into Walmart at midnight. If this is what your holiday is about, okay – but I hope you take a moment to realize everything you have to be thankful for.
Things I am thankful for:
- That Thanksgiving dinner is (mostly) gluten free
- That I have a roof over my head and a warm bed
- That I get to see my family and nephews
- That my brother does the best impersonation of a turkey ever (seriously, he once did it in front of a turkey and they almost brawled)
- That there is always extra space at the table for whoever needs a seat
- That I have a job and a car to get me there
- That I have never know the pain of being hungry or cold
- That people love me, and I know it
- That I have a passion and the audacity to pursue it
- That the world can once again be a warm and forgiving place, if we all remember what it means to be human
- That I am alive
So, when you see the man with the Ho Ho Ho’s this week, politely smile at him if you must but remind him, he has a few more days to wait before we’ll pay attention to him. It’s Turkey time.
Oh, and for your enjoyment, my brother’s Turkey impression. Happy Thanksgiving. 🙂