Thanksgiving, AKA Turkey Day (And Why I Protest It)
So, in this time of the year people tend to be quite introspective. They like to sit around the yule log, christmas tree, or various other cliched holiday imagery and think about the past year. They tally the good deeds, and the missteps, (making a list and checking it twice if you would). I am going to take this introspective spirit to heart, and be a little deep this week. Thats right, the usual comedy cavalcade of my posts will be toned down, so prepare yourself to get hit with some knowledge.
The exact meaning of Thanksgiving has been lost throughout the ages, but scholars such as myself maintain that it roughly translates into “The expression of gratitude”. This may be wrong, as my Latin is a little rusty, but I am pretty sure that this indicates that this day is dedicated to being thankful for what you have. This means (at least in my house) that we all gather ’round the table, and hastily rattle off things that we are grateful for, rushing through to get to the mashed potatoes and stuffing. Then it is time for football and naps ((in which we dream about what we want for Christmas (like an iPhone (hint, hint)).
Now, don’t get me wrong, I love overeating, football, and sleep. They are in my top 5 favorite things (the other two being yelling at inappropriate times and the excessive use of parenthesis in church blog posts), but they are not what the holiday is about. This time of year is often called the “season of giving”, and I personally take offense.
The season of giving should by no means be limited to November and December. Don’t wait for Target to put up the red and green posters to think of others. I think that giving should have no season. Have you ever given someone a gift that was just right and seen their faces light up? Now compare that feeling of giving to the feeling of getting something that you hastily threw on a list. Why does that joy have to stop on January 1st.
When New Years Day rolls around and the turkey is long digested, and the new gadgets and toys long forgotten, the gifts lose their luster. But those who give you those toys, gadgets, Apple products, etc. are the true gifts. The items are just symbols of their love.
Remember this, and be a gift to others, and do it without reason. Sometimes the “just because” gifts are the best.
If you have any great gift stories, feel free to post them in the comments section (the link down at the bottom titiled “comments”, complicated, I know).
Have a great Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Fourth of July, Veteran’s Day, Flag Day, and Thanksgiving again.
Robert