I try to delay Christmas as long as possible. Or at least until December.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas. I love the decorations and gift giving. In fact, I joke that in Florida we have two seasons: Summer and Christmas. Because our weather is often unhelpful, I need these external markers to show me that the year is indeed moving forward! But, it irks me every year that it seems our retail world has no room for Thanksgiving. October 31st leaves with it’s pumpkin and face painted fanfare and Christmas sneaks in overnight to stock all the shelves for November first.
Am I alone in this?
What happened to Thanksgiving?
Why do we skip it?
Except for your local supermarket, stores don’t seem to cash in on Thanksgiving. And that’s one of the things I love most about it. Thanksgiving to me is Christmas without all the pressure. It’s all the goodness of travel, family time, togetherness and, of course, food without the pressure to mail letters, attend a dozen of parties, go to the post office, buy and wrap gifts, and have the perfect holiday outfit.
Plus it focuses my heart on what I already have, before the frenzy of Christmas urges me to long for more. I’m committed to delaying Christmas, to leave room for the giving of thanks.
Wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving!
Amen! November is for thanksgiving – and then it’s time for Advent. Advent is all about longing and waiting. It’s hard!
Enjoy the cooler weather during the season of Christmas. At least the temps give you a clue – the seasons are so backward in SF. Summer is cold and foggy. Then our hot Indian summer September & October. Then rainy winter. But the temps are always 60ish so I’m more seasonally confused than I was when I lived in Florida!
I love your statement that, “Thanksgiving to me is Christmas, without all the pressure.” I never thought about that before but it is so true! Well said. So let’s enjoy it & make a point not to skip it.
Agreed, friends. In the words of my wise little friend, Jake, “Wait your turn!”