It’s November. The leaves are changing on the trees and a chill is in the air. Of course, since we live in Texas, we have to have a reality check with ourselves. The temperature has dropped 5 degrees and most people, including myself, can still wear shorts. But alas, we can dream of fall weather somewhere in our minds, right? 

During this time when students are anxiously waiting for school to let out for Thanksgiving break and teachers have decided to throw down the gauntlet of work, I have wondered the following question to myself: Why do people always forget about Thanksgiving? All around me, Christmas has creeped up into stores, playlists, “For You” pages on TikTok and more. even though it’s not even December yet! Granted every year, Christmas seems to appear earlier than the last but still, how can you forget about such an amazing time of year? It’s as if people have forgotten that Thanksgiving is supposed to be about being thankful for their families, friends and the little things in life that we may take for granted every other time of the year. 

I know people have been hearing about the pandemic for the past year and a half, but it is an important reminder that our loved ones and our ability to move freely in life can be taken away from us in an instant. Not only is being thankful so important but it also allows us to look at how important people in our lives are. Other than the sentimental part of Thanksgiving, the food is another part hugely overlooked by many. Who doesn’t love a good casserole or a freshly baked pecan pie? The flexibility of your meal is up to you, but as a traditionalist at heart, I love to stick to the same comfort foods that I get to indulge in. 

Thinking about Thanksgiving day itself makes me incredibly giddy as I remember all of the fun events that take place throughout the day. Waking up early in the morning to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade while my family debates over when to put the turkey in the oven is always a joyous time. Of course after the parade, we switch over to the Westminster Abbey Dog Show and always end up disagreeing over who was “Best in Show.” Switching over to the afternoon and getting closer to go time for our meal, my whole family comes together to help finish all of our amazing side dishes and lay out our Thanksgiving dinner spread. And the moment we have all been waiting for: the beloved meal where all of our family and friends come together to celebrate our appreciation for each other. We can’t forget the typical line of “So what are you grateful for?” to kick off the dinner and the many answers that come with it. 

And then it hits. The overwhelming feeling of making the perfect Thanksgiving spread and trying to eat it all. I don’t know about you, but I feel that I have successfully mastered just the right amount of turkey to gravy to stuffing to casseroles to cranberry sauce to mashed potatoes ratio in order to leave the perfect little space on my plate for anything else that is featured during the meal. All in all, as everyone finishes their meal and the feeling of eating too much sets in and the Thanksgiving festivities come to a close, we all relax on the couch together to watch movies and end our fun-filled day. 

Thanksgiving is always one for the books because being around the people I love the most, and seeing them happy makes me even happier. The warm feelings that Thanksgiving brings are always especially comforting. The holiday is the best send off to fall and provides for a nice welcome to winter. I hope that you are able to spend your Thanksgiving with your family and friends, and I hope that you have all of the amazing food that you are able to eat! 

<3 Natalie