It's a Holiday!

There's an old saying about success only coming before work in the dictionary. May I suggest also that the same should be true as far as Christmas coming before Thanksgiving?

Don't get me wrong. I love Christmas! The decorations, the music, the good will, the togetherness...all of it. But I also love Thanksgiving: Crispy autumn days, family meals, and quiet reflection. I want to see cornucopias and pumpkins and turkeys! I'm feeling orange, yellow, and brown, not red and green. I refuse to let the "spirit of Christmas" bully the spirit of Thanksgiving out of the way. There's plenty of time for snow and tinsel and those pesky "jingle bells"! Whether it lasts the entire month of November or just for one day, I will not forget why I am so Thankful for Thanksgiving and that I have reasons to Be Thankful. Christmas will still come...at the right time.

To me, the details of the first Thanksgiving aren't as important as the history of my personal holidays. I have vague memories of "making" cranberry sauce in 2nd grade. I remember Grandma's riced potatoes (with real butter, not margarine!). I remember bowls of black olives which my cousins would practically devour while waiting for the main event. And who hasn't made a "handprint turkey" at some point in their life?

A Thanksgiving celebration can be public or private, grand or small, traditional or modern. It doesn't matter if we're eating turkey, ham, or a bologna sandwich. You can watch the Macy's parade, enjoy a football game, be out waiting for that big buck, or prep for a Black Friday shopping adventure. (Note: It's illogical for Black Friday to start on Thursday; but that's for a different discussion.) We may gather around the same table, sit in front of the computer for a video chat, or make an old-school telephone call. I will be thankful for any and all of it.

I know this post is a few days early for Thanksgiving. But as of tomorrow I plan to be spending time with my son, who I haven't seen since he went off to college three months ago. This year, that is the gift for which I am most thankful.