Don’t Forget About Thanksgiving!

On November 1st (sometimes even earlier!) people begin getting ready for Christmas. What happened to Thanksgiving?

Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas – in fact that and Thanksgiving are my two favorite holidays – but let’s not completely forget about Thanksgiving!

I get it, there isn’t “Thanksgiving music” or as many decorations or movies, but it’s still a fun holiday that is simply meant to be enjoyed with your family.

Many people have the mindset of Christmas, Thanksgiving, Christmas. This means they celebrate and get ready for Christmas (like listening to music, decorating, etc.) up until Thanksgiving. Then on Thanksgiving, they enjoy it and forget about Christmas for that one day. The next day, they are all in and gearing up for Christmas again. I do understand this mindset and enjoy getting an early start on listening to Christmas music or watching Christmas movies, but I want to enjoy Thanksgiving in full, including at least a few days leading up to it, and not forgetting about it completely.

There are many things to love about Thanksgiving, and it’s not just the food (although it is delicious)!

One major part of Thanksgiving is, obviously, being thankful. It is a time to get together with your family and be grateful. There aren’t any presents or anything like that, just good food and quality family time.

What are the most popular Thanksgiving foods?

When you think about Thanksgiving, there are classic foods that first come to mind immediately – these include:

• turkey
• mashed potatoes
• different types of casseroles
• stuffing
• cranberry sauce
• sweet potatoes
• different types of vegetables
• other assorted pies

Along with these, many families have dishes that are unique to them that they enjoy each year. Additionally, different cultures have different foods that are special to them each Thanksgiving (ie different sides, desserts, etc.).

What are some popular activities to do on Thanksgiving?

Leading up to dinner, many families have special activities they participate in beforehand.

Some of these are:

• watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
• watching a football game (either an NFL game or a more local game for your school)
• running/walking a turkey trot
• cooking/prepping for dinner
• playing games as a family

This year, Thanksgiving is on Thursday, November 28, 2024.

Remember the importance of Thanksgiving and all of the fun that comes with it this year!