We are a Christmas family. Christmas is my holiday. I start planning for it in August and shopping is done by Thanksgiving. (Yes, I am already done shopping.) Thanksgiving has always been just a day in November to mark the beginning of the Christmas season. Oh, and an excuse to indulge in some over the top gluttony for a day.
Then came this year. As I mentioned in previous posts, my husband is living in Boston right now while we are in Minnesota. Due to financial considerations, he wasn’t able to travel here for the holiday, so while he was with his family on Thanksgiving, Ellie, Maggie, and I spent the evening with some wonderful friends and their family.
While we truly enjoyed our Thanksgiving with our friends, and were extremely grateful they extended an invitation to us, we also really missed Paul. Since we have been living in Minnesota, our Thanksgivings were very low key; we would go out to a restaurant and partake of their buffet, then just hang out at our home for the afternoon, watching videos and just being together. We weren’t with extended family, but we were all together as our own family unit, making our Thanksgiving complete. This year, we just weren’t complete.
Thanksgiving isn’t just about food, football (the Patriots won, by the way :) ), and planning your Black Friday attack. It is about taking a day to remember that no matter what other problems or issues you may have swirling around you, you need to remember all the good you have in your life. It is a day to block out all that other holiday craziness that the next few weeks will bring, to sit down with your family and friends and give thanks for what you have in your life, and remember those who may not be as fortunate as you. Take the time to be happy on that day, and remember, your life is rich.
Thanksgiving is family.
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