There’s nothing better than a moist and fluffy turkey sitting at the center of the family dinner table, brimming with the perfect steaming stuffing. As the year nears its close, calming down from the Halloween craze, there needs to be a transition; something to fill us with satisfaction to finish the year feeling accomplished. Thanksgiving Day, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, is the perfect holiday for Americans to set aside sadness and negativity and instead be thankful for everything they have, like family, friends, and especially food.
Thanksgiving is the only holiday during which you can appreciate family time without worrying about being sweaty all day, or becoming too cold to want to stay home. It is the perfect day to take in the vibrant foliage and the smell of pungent spices. Situated right between summer and winter, the environment is brisk but satisfying; a perfect temperature for enjoying sports, whether you’re watching football with your family or tossing one back and forth with your friends.
As Thanksgiving is a secular national holiday, others are unlikely to be offended when you wish them a happy Thanksgiving. It is often considered one of the most American holidays and is one of the very few holidays Americans celebrate simply for the acknowledgement of its meaning: the importance of being appreciative of what you have, even if you don’t have much.
Not only is Thanksgiving a perfect time for being with family, this holiday gives you a guaranteed four-day weekend, with an occasional quintuple if you’re lucky. That brings enough time to take a break from school and readjust. However, if you’re feeling extra adventurous, you can burn off all of the extra calories by shopping during Black Friday the next day (and if you don’t feel like going out, you can still shop online on Cyber Monday).
A Thanksgiving without good food is like a slice of pumpkin pie without whipped cream on top. From buttery mashed potatoes to homemade cranberry sauce, you can eat all the best food your family can offer. This day gives you an excuse to eat whatever you want and just have fun. And if you have leftovers, you get to have the same great food for the next couple of days.
Thanksgiving is a time when we can take some days off to stop and step away from our chaotic lives and think about the things we love. Thanksgiving is a day when we can appreciate nature and the food we eat. Thanksgiving is a day when we can spend time with family and friends and renew faded memories.
So don’t take Thanksgiving for granted; savor the moment, be thankful, and eat lots of food.