Family on Friday!!!
Before Halloween, some smatterings of Christmas pop up here and there. Then, as soon as the black and orange move to clearance, red and green take over. Thanksgiving has been officially pushed to the fringe of the holiday schedule. Even the "present buying bargains" have seeped from Black Friday to virtually the whole month of November.
I can appreciate that gift giving is exciting and the anticipation of gift receiving keeps young and old up at night. I can also appreciate that companies who make the things we buy look forward to this last push to turn an investor-alluring profit and would rather have two whole months to make their goals over a few weeks.
But, look at what is happening metaphorically. The giving and receiving of gifts has reached the point of marginalizing being thankful for what we have.
My challenge to American families is to focus on gratitude from Halloween until Thanksgiving. Take inventory of your life. Maybe you'll find some treasures under a bit of dust. And then deck the halls whilst munching turkey (or Tofurkey) sandwiches. Countries that don't even celebrate Thanksgiving often wait until four Sundays before Christmas.
I realize I may be asking a lot when Christmas music is playing everywhere, holiday movies are unavoidable, and all those people out there that want your money are making offers you can't refuse and commercials that make you warm and fuzzy.
However, it shouldn't be too much to ask that we set aside more than a meal to demonstrate our thanks.
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