I know, I know. The title is a downer, but hear me out. Thanksgiving is coming up, which, yay I guess? It’s a very odd holiday that I have a difficult time getting excited about. Pushing aside the controversial and messy history that it has, the holiday itself just isn’t that enjoyable for me.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the cozy vibes Thanksgiving brings with it. The house begins to feel warmer, I can wrap up in cozy blankets, and my mom and I whip out the sweeter candles that make the house smell impeccable. This is the second holiday in a line of them—Halloween kicks it off, Thanksgiving is next, with Christmas (or a separate holiday, depending on where you fall religiously), New Years, and Valentine’s Day following close behind. We don’t get a break from holidays until March, and yet Thanksgiving just isn’t one I enjoy celebrating.
The food is nice, and I can never complain about having friends and some family close by. The overall holiday feels tense to me, though. There’s an expectation placed on one household to bake all the food and prepare festivities. What music are you even supposed to listen to while you’re making Thanksgiving dinner? Some people say it’s too early to listen to Christmas music, but it’s certainly too late to listen to Halloween music. There really isn’t music made for Thanksgiving, except maybe jazz, but that feels too calm for all the hectic energy it tends to bring.
With all this said, I still technically partake in it. I’ll eat the food that’s made and express to my friends how thankful I am for them, but that’s honestly something I do anyway. The holiday season shouldn’t be the only time you tell people why you’re grateful for them. It doesn’t feel right to me.
I think for this year, I’m going to be doing a lot of personal reflection. I want to plan out what I’m going to be doing this holiday season, who I’ll be celebrating with, and what I can do to ensure I’m my happiest self. I’ll put on some music that makes me feel warm, burn a candle, and spend time with the people I care about most. I will not, however, be doing this in light of Thanksgiving: it’s simply how I want to be spending my time.
Despite what I’ve said, I do understand the appeal of Thanksgiving, and I don’t want anyone to believe I’ll be peeved if they celebrate it. Having time to gather with friends and family is a really beautiful thing, especially because there’s technically three consecutive months of it happening. Celebrate as you will and have fun, no matter what others may say (but as always, be conscious of the history behind the holiday and ensure you’re being respectful at the same time). :)