Thanksgiving Comes First


In conjunction with Suldog's 2nd Annual Thanksgiving Comes First Event, below is a partial repost of what I wrote last year. Please also check out what other bloggers had to say over at the roundup here.




Today's post is in response to this wonderful and thought-provoking post on Suldog's blog.

I remember being a kid and seeing only Halloween decorations in the stores from around the beginning of October until Halloween. Then I think there were general fall decorations until very close to Thanksgiving. Cornucopias and such. The day after Thanksgiving, it was all-out Christmas.

Now I love Christmas as much as the next person. I mean I love to bake. For me, there is no excuse for baking like Christmas. Oh the cookies! As a child, my mom would make about ten different kinds of cookies and give them out to family and friends. Decorative metal tins would be stacked around ready to be filled and given away. Christmas was always a HUGE deal for my family.

I digress. But the point I want to make clear is that I'm no Grinch. There will be celebrating happening on this blog. During the Christmas season! It's not here yet! Thanksgiving comes first. Have we as a nation forgotten?

I know there are those of you who are already planning all sorts of Christmas desserts and blog events. Many of you may have already started your shopping. For me. I just cannot handle it yet. Thanksgiving is one week from today. Can't we just enjoy that holiday before diving into the Christmas season? Now I do have ads on my blog. I cannot control the content and there may be some Christmas ads on here. It may seem a bit hypocritical, if you are reading this while seeing dancing and flashing presents on my left sidebar.

Well, I do wish they would hold off until next Friday for those advertisements. I wish all retailers would hold off. I went into CVS and felt overwhelmed by the sheer Christmasness of it all. There is just too much of it. At a certain point it is just tacky, but that's me. And it's too early!

If we as a nation could maybe take this week and think about all that we have to be grateful for, it might do us all some good. Thanksgiving is a great holiday. There's still tons of great food and we don't have to worry about buying presents or expecting to get any. No gift-giving anxiety, disappointment or over-spending. We can just enjoy a great meal with family and friends. I'm not into football, but for those who are, well that's a pretty good day for it too.

If any of you feel the same way about how Thanksgiving has been overlooked, I hope you'll write a post entitled "Thanksgiving Comes First" and link back to Suldog's post. Let's spread the word and enjoy Thanksgiving first! This is the last update to this post, but click here for links to some of the other participants in this new Thanksgiving Revolution.

Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2008. All rights reserved.


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Comments

charrette said…
I LOVE Thanksgiving! And am disgusted when I see over-commercialized holiday get-up appearing in stores before Halloween! We have a somewhat high-end department store here called Nordstrom who refuses to put up any Christmas decor before Thanksgiving, and even has a sign up inviting customers to enjoy their Thanksgiving. So refreshing! I also love Thanksgiving for the opportunity to reflect and express gratitude. That's almost a lost art. Yet so crucial to our emotional and spiritual -- and even pyshiological -- well-being. Yes, I wholeheartedly join you in your Thanksgiving revolution!
Lisa Johnson said…
charrette - Welcome! I didn't know that Nordstroms did that. It is refreshing! Maybe the movement will catch on. : )
Suldog said…
Anali:

As you know, I was on vacation, thus the lateness of this reply. Thanks so much for posting! I truly appreciate it!
Lisa Johnson said…
suldog - You're welcome!
S said…
Clearly, I agree! In my family, Thanksgiving is also the only time we do the whole big turkey dinner, so make it even more special. (Roast beef is our Christmas dinner.)

My Thanksgiving was lovely this year. It's now about 5:00 pm on the day after Thanksgiving, so it might be about time for me to go heat up some leftovers!
Lisa Johnson said…
s - Glad you enjoyed the post and your turkey dinner! ; )

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