So I had this whole article written and ready to go, but a few nights ago I left the news room and went to the mall to pick up a few things and was appalled by what I saw there. The place is already decorated for Christmas and stores are decked out in mistletoe and garlands. I see this and feel as if my brain is about to burst a blood vassal, because A) I either passed out for a month and its just about Christmas, Or B) they have moved Christmas up a few weeks… Now I doubt either of these things have happened to me this semester, so people must be getting ready for Christmas sooner then normal.

Now I know it is normal for shops to start setting up for the holidays early, but I don’t think I have ever seen shops set up so soon. They don’t even let Halloween fade from our memories before we are bombarded with “Hey its almost Christmas you must consume products and consume them now”. Which leaves me thinking, what happened to Thanksgiving, the lovely holiday where we can get together with our families, enjoy a big meal and sit around a communal table and talk, without the pressure of ‘what am I going to give them for Thanksgiving?’ Sure, Christmas is rad but over the course of time the meaning of Christmas as a time for family and friends has faded away. We still have Thanksgiving to be with our family with out the pressure of gift giving , shopping and getting that stylish winter performance fleece.

So I see it this way people are just trying to push Thanksgiving out of the lime light because its family time its food time and all that jazz. I must say that more of my favorite holiday memories are from Thanksgiving, like memories of my Uncle Mike and I sitting on my Aunt Lisa’s porch playing guitar and avoiding the rowdiness of the house that is filled with people laughing and sharing bottles of wine. I learn so much from him on our Thanksgiving jam sessions and get some good quality time with the rest of my family. Because on Christmas, it turns into a “who got what?” and “look what I got” type of thing.

So people this year damn the corporation that Christmas has become and don’t forget about Thanksgiving. Sit down with your family or your friends, or both even, and have a good old time laughing and talking about life and love and everything in-between.