Why Thanksgiving is my Favorite Holiday

I am grateful for what I am and have.  My Thanksgiving is perpetual. ~ Henry David Thoreua

I love Thanksgiving, it may be the only holiday I truly love.  Why?  Well mostly because it’s unaffiliated, it’s not a religious holiday or a patriotic holiday, there is no abstract reasoning to this holiday.  This is a holiday that is solely about what is near and dear to us and an opportunity to say thanks for all of it.  I would point out that I’ve hosted, and been part of a lot of orphan Thanksgivings in my time, but never an orphan 4th of July or Christmas.  One of the beauties of Thanksgiving is that you chose who is your family that day whether they are blood relatives or not.

Another reason I love this day are the traditions that exist, happy get togethers, food, lots of food and football.  For me when I was young the tradition was just a little different in that it started with deer hunting, and particularly when my grandfather was still alive, it was a day to go out and spend some time in the woods with him.  Now I know those of you opposed to hunting won’t get this, but a big part of the reason you’re out there is the quiet moments of the early mornings out in nature, and to have my grandpa along, so much the better.  So we would wake early, go out for a couple of hours, come home and eat a huge breakfast.  Then we’d walk in the mid-day and come home to warmth and football and a feast.  Being an Irish-Italian family that meant the standard Turkey dinner with  the addition of lasagna, meatballs, sausage and maybe a bit of venison thrown in, heaven.

I know that a lot of folks don’t like the excess of Thanksgiving and think this day of what might legitimately be called gluttony is obscene when people are homeless and hungry.  I disagree, I think if we always stay focused on people less fortunate you remain perpetually unhappy.  In my opinion taking one day a year to spoil yourself, eat too much and revel in whatever excess you have is not only sensible but necessary.  We have 364 additional days to help others, what would be wrong is if you didn’t take any of those other days to help.

A slower pace of life can make you happy

So Happy Thanksgiving friends, enjoy your day, your family, your friends and your feast, relax and have a happy day. ~ Rev kane