Sunday Night With John: For The Love of Thanksgiving

The Halloween decorations were not even down yet in Iowa City, and I was seeing social media posts about Christmas. I cringed, almost puked my Christmas cheer, and thought about going on a month-long vacation to escape the November Christmas blitz. I could hear "Jingle Bells" commercials coming from 1,000 miles away. I could see people dusting off boxes of decorations and nearly killing themselves on a ladder, as they attempted to create a festive holiday scene. It made me want to scream, "bah-humbug!". I get it, everyone. America loves Christmas. It loves the blinking lights, the decorative ornaments, the tree-trimming, the traditions, the gifts, the wrapping paper, the classic films, and the Hallmark Channel’s Christmas-themed, cheese-a-thon movies. What do I have to say to this two-month march to December 25th? "Stop stepping all over my Thanksgiving mojo!" 

I love Thanksgiving and everything ounce of gravy that comes with it. Yet, year after year, the shadow cast upon us by Christmas gobbles up more Thanksgiving real estate. The best American holiday we have shrinks a little from this misplaced spotlight. We can use a holiday where family and friends come together, not to exchange gifts around a fire hazard, but to break bread and share a meal. We can use a holiday born from two different cultures deciding they could share a table together. And, after this election cycle, we can use more examples of social groups sharing a holiday with a culture different from their own. We need to experience the feeling of being with loved ones without the distraction of shiny new toys and gadgets. A holiday like Thanksgiving reveals that we can thrive on just the company of a loving spouse, child, parent, sibling, or friend.  

Do not get me wrong. Christmas is a fine holiday.  And, the day after Thanksgiving, I’m all for jumping into any great Christmas movie and being reminded of the magic Santa brings to our world. However, Christmas has encroached on Thanksgiving so much that we can't stay thankful even for 24 hours. The day after being thankful for what we have, we go out and trample others for stuff we don’t have. For the Love of Thanksgiving, can we not trample this great holiday? Can we place Christmas back in its correct place and time-frame? Can we realize, the more emphasis we place on a holiday that is about sitting at a table and sharing a meal together, the greater the lesson for our youth? Thanksgiving is a great reminder to all of us that the best part of our lives is really the people we love. 

So do not not talk with me about Christmas until after the Macys' Thanksgiving-Day Parade--not until I have downed 12 deviled eggs,  three scoops of mashed potatoes and gravy, and have awakened from my post-turkey nap. In my life, Christmas season doesn’t start until the Monday after Thanksgiving. So, no "Merry Christmas" from me this November. It’s "Happy Thanksgiving" all the way.