Fall is a wonderful time of year for many reasons. It is the beginning of a new school year, the cold weather starts to move in, nature surrounds us with beautiful colors, and we get to celebrate. First we celebrate Halloween, which is really just an excuse to scare people and get sick from candy. Then, we celebrate our thankfulness, which is another excuse to eat excessively. Fall, really, is the time of year we pack on those extra pounds to keep us warm through the winter months. But Thanksgiving marks the turn of fall into winter, the turn into the beautiful holiday season, and a day to be thankful.

In elementary school we all learned why we have Thanksgiving. We learned that the Pilgrims and the Indians sat down for an autumn harvest to make peace after trying to conquer the “New World”. As we get older, we may forget some of the history but we do not forget to give our thanks. Thanksgiving is often forgotten about in grocery stores or malls, mostly because the decorations are not as beautiful as Christmas decorations. It is often passed over quickly because the excitement for Christmas beats any other holiday. But we have to take a second and realize how important Thanksgiving is.

Every family has their traditions on Thanksgiving. Some may participate in a race or a football game the morning of, others may take an entire day to veg on the couch and watch TV. No matter the activities there is one tradition that is the same across the country. We all sit down for a feast with our friends and family and eat until we feel we may pass out. There is a turkey and some potatoes, stuffing, and gravy, and probably a gross amount of pies. Whatever the food, we eat it all. As we share laughter and swallow food, we give thanks. We give thanks for our country, for the lives we have had, for what is around us; we give thanks for the shelter above our heads, the beds we can sleep in, the people that surround us, and the lives we have left to live. We all think of what we are thankful for and we take a day to acknowledge those things.

Thanksgiving is important because as we approach the holiday season it is easy to forget what we are grateful for, it is easy to forget about the love that surrounds us. As you eat your food and stuff your face remember to be thankful for the things we take for granted and for the things that seem small. Give your thanks and share your love and joy for the holiday season is upon us.

By Ali Jorgensen