Thanksgiving: America’s Most Overlooked Holiday

When most people think of fall, the first thing that comes to mind is Halloween. Sure, this holiday certainly is a lot of fun; everything from the fun DIY costumes, free candy, and spooky activities such as haunted mazes make October a month full of festivities. However, I would like to address that there is one very, very overlooked holiday in the fall: Thanksgiving.

Sure, everyone knows what Thanksgiving is. People sit down at a table with family, stuff their faces with food, and then fall into a food coma until the next morning. But, to me, this is one of the best holidays out there. Everything from the stuffing, to the mashed potatoes, to the apple pies makes the last Thursday of November the best eating day of the entire year!

But for those of you who are still not convinced, or for those that are not impressed by the food, there are plenty of other Thanksgiving festivities. There are crafts to be made for table centerpieces, an amazing parade to visit in NYC or watch on television, and great new recipes to try out.

If you are someone who enjoys holiday festivities but is in need of inspiration for the Thanksgiving season, I put together a list:

• DIY candles/centerpieces
• Watching Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
• Thanksgiving leftover potluck with friends (everyone brings a leftover dish from their family; it’s like the Thanksgiving feast all over again but with friends!)
• Watching (or playing) Thanksgiving football
• DIY Thanksgiving-themed games, (i.e pin the hat on the turkey)
• Black Friday shopping (not technically Thanksgiving, but it will do)

So no, Thanksgiving is not just a holiday sandwiched inbetween Halloween and the winter holidays, such as Chanukah and Christmas. No, you cannot set up your menorahs or Christmas trees before it starts. And no, you absolutely cannot start listening to holiday music until after it ends!

I’ll leave you with this: this year, make it your mission to savor the food, spend time with family, and do some sort of festive activity to celebrate this holiday. Though it may not involve trick-or-treating or opening presents, Thanksgiving is special in its own way.

Happy Thanksgiving!