Binging Friends and Gossip Girl Thanksgiving episodes as the aroma of fresh turkey fills my house is one of my most anticipated moments each year. I often feel like people discredit Thanksgiving. It seems like ghost and skeleton decorations quickly become replaced by Rudolph and tinseled-up pine trees. Don’t get me wrong, I listen to Christmas music November 1st, but where are the turkey decorations, people? Turkey Day is massively underrated, and I am here to tell you just why I hold it so near and dear to my heart.
While I know many dread the widely-revisited question of “What are you thankful for?” I ask that as you read this, you really try to think of at least one thing that has made your life better this year. It can be simple. For example, I am thankful for iced caramel lattes (always true). I love Thanksgiving’s emphasis on gratitude. It is so easy to become lost in the repetitive routine that every week holds. Wake, caffeinate, class, work, sleep, repeat. Taking a step back to stuff yourself silly surrounded by your loved ones, whoever they may be, is a really special thing we can often take for granted. I love being able to sit around a table to simply talk and laugh with the ones I love most. Plus, pumpkin pie is delicious.
I have always loved my Thanksgiving Day traditions. My brother and I always wake up early to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as we write our Christmas lists on festive themed paper with red and green pens. My mom always bakes us cinnamon buns every year to eat as we watch and write. Something about that chilly and cozy Thanksgiving morning has always brought me comfort. My family hosts dinner and my relatives and I all write what we are thankful for on a sheet of paper. One person reads each sheet aloud and we guess who wrote it. I, of course, am always easy to guess because I write about how I am thankful for my cat and Taylor Swift (I do not doubt that I will write the same this year).
Wherever you are and whatever your Thanksgiving looks like, I hope that you have an amazing day filled with good food and great company. Even when it isn’t Thanksgiving, it is always rewarding to reflect on the little things that make you smile each day. In case your Thanksgiving is wide-open, I highly recommend baking some cinnamon rolls and watching your favorite Thanksgiving-themed TV episodes. Happy Thanksgiving, readers!