Hey fans! Just yesterday my column about Thanksgiving was published for work (remember, I'm a staff writer for the local newspaper). The title probably gives you a hint into my thought process, but it's been something that has weighed on me and I hope it's food for thought.
Speaking of food...I want to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!
The Forgotten Holiday
by Belinda Serrano
I have to preface this by saying that I love holidays. My Facebook friends and Twitter followers are aware of this based on the fact that, almost every day, I post a random holiday of some sorts to my accounts.
National Pasta Day, National Teddy Bear Day, and even odd ones like "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It Day" have been recognized by me. And, sometimes, if some sort of food is involved, I will try and celebrate it myself. Thankfully, I didn't miss National Onion Ring Day this year and got some from Sonic.
Now I begin.
My love for holidays also comes from their chronological order. One quick glance at the calendar and I get to see what days I will be off for work (and admittedly, I always wish for more). But when October comes around, I know that the three main holidays I celebrate are Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
It was right after Halloween ended when I heard someone say that the Christmas season had begun. "We can skip Thanksgiving and go right to Christmas," they said...and I got upset.
My ire came not only from the chronology, but more importantly, the fact that a holiday with such a great meaning and significance could be passed over. Unfortunately...this has become the holiday norm.
Store decorations transform almost overnight from witches and ghosts to Santa and elves. Fall decor is compacted to two rows in the seasonal section while Halloween and Christmas take up half the store in outfits, decorations and food. In the end, the hustle and bustle of the two holidays leave us frazzled and stressed, leaving the "attitude of gratitude" nowhere to be found.
Thanksgiving has to be celebrated. To me, the holiday gives us the time to recollect and reflect on what we have. Obviously, as a self-proclaimed social media fanatic, I participate with the "Days of Thanks" campaign where you tell everyone what you're thankful for through the sites. It's almost like a countdown leading up to Thanksgiving.
(Also leading up to Thanksgiving, for me, it just isn't Thanksgiving if you don't watch the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving special.)
Yes, I do understand that there are those people who will say, "We don't need to set aside a day to be thankful--we should be thankful everyday." Can't we then use the same premise for holidays like Valentine's Day (love), Memorial Day (military service) and Christmas (the observance of Christ's birth), among other holidays?
It's somewhat of a rhetorical question. But beyond the premise of the holiday, I do love the tradition of it. Turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, those 12-packs of rolls that you just throw into the oven, and--my favorite--candied yams are just part of the day. Also, if you're like the men in my family, Thanksgiving just isn't Thanksgiving without watching the Cowboys game on TV.
I also have to say I was perturbed at hearing this statement about passing Thanksgiving because when I heard about pushing the idea of giving thanks aside, it brings into play my personal faith and beliefs. Again, I mention Christmas and I do celebrate it greatly as I reflect on the birth of Jesus. But, we're also taught through the Bible that God supplies all of our needs (Philipians 4:19) and, simply, to give thanks (I Thessalonians 5:18).
It's about family, food, fellowship, faith and so much more. To skip Thanksgiving, to me, is to forget to offer thanks for everything you've been given...not only the big blessings in your life, but also the little things you have.
So please, do me a favor and truly celebrate Thanksgiving this year by following the moniker and really give thanks on that day. Let's not make Thanksgiving become the forgotten holiday.
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