Thanksgiving is almost here! The time to show thanks, give to others, eat way too much food and not get judged for it. But have we already forgotten about Thanksgiving before it is even here? It may be different this year than it has been in the past, but it is still a holiday that should be celebrated.

Thanksgiving originated from when the English came to this land and were warmly welcomed by Native Americans. The Native Americans helped the English to settle and survive on this land they had just discovered, and made sure that they felt at home and safe, providing them with new tips about all different kinds of things and a huge feast to say they were welcome with open arms. 

Now we see this land as our land, and are ungrateful for what was handed to us. Maybe we should focus more on how well we were treated than jumping past the holiday all together.

Thanksgiving isn’t just the one day of the month where stuffing your face is appropriate; it is also the time to give. It is the time to show your appreciation for others around you and all that you have. It is a time to give to those in need. 

Sure, the traditional turkey dinner is great. Having those certain foods like stuffing or a side dish only a certain family member makes is exciting. But the true spirit of Thanksgiving is supposed to be to give to others. It’s a time to go out and heart attack someone’s door (placing hearts and treats on someone’s door to show you care) or rake up leaves for the people who need the help this year or just because you feel like it. It’s a time to give some of your free time to a shelter, so they too have more to be grateful for for this wonderful holiday.

Most people forget about Thanksgiving and jump right to Christmas. A lot of people claim that they need not just one but two months to properly celebrate Christmas. So should we just cancel Thanksgiving all together? When I asked this question most people said no, so why don’t we appreciate Thanksgiving a little bit more?

I see the hype over Christmas; everyone gets gifts and gives gifts that day. You also get to see your family and friends all in one day, and show them you love them by handing them something that reminded you of them as you walked through the mall. But couldn’t this same thing be celebrated with words and food on Thanksgiving? Isn’t it a little more meaningful when it truly comes from the heart and not the store?