Thanksgiving is Better Than Christmas

Next week is my favorite week of the entire year. Why, you may ask. Because Thanksgiving is the best holiday of the year.

I understand that there are some Christmas fanatics that I may offend by saying this. Certainly Thanksgiving does not have the same lead up and month-long season like Christmas does. 

Don’t get me wrong, I like Christmas, but as I grow a bit older every year, Christmas loses a bit of its magic. You could say that I can’t ‘hear the bells’ like the little boy in “The Polar Express.”

What’s so special about Thanksgiving? First, I appreciate that it is perhaps the most ‘food-centric’ holiday of the year. I can eat all day without shame (maybe it would be in my best interest to have some shame, but that’s another problem for another day). 

A good ham and a well-cooked turkey are difficult to beat, and who can forget the stuffing. It’s probably the best part of the entire meal. If you disagree, come fight me. 

And then, the pies. Apple pie, coconut cream pie, custard pie, pudding pie, they’re all great. Pumpkin pie, not so much, but I’m probably in the minority opinion on pumpkin pie. 

In theory, you can eat all of this again a month later on Christmas, so what really makes Thanksgiving special? 

It’s the expectations (or lack thereof). Thanksgiving is a day to hang out with friends or family, to simply have fun and relax. 

Christmas is full of expectations: gifts, decorating, etc. That’s not bad by any means, but the Christmas hustle and bustle can really wear you down. Not to mention, that one particularly atrocious song which haunts the airwaves and my dreams. 

As with anything in life, it’s only as good as you make it. Have a wonderful and restful Thanksgiving break, only a few more weeks and the semester is over!