By: Gabby Redpath and Tony Bianchini
Christmas is arguably the biggest holiday of the season – everyone knows that. Christmas movies are on the television. Christmas decorations are on the streets. Christmas music is on the radio. Christmas is everywhere… all in November! What happened to Thanksgiving? Thanksgiving is the holiday that’s actually in November, so why don’t we give Thanksgiving a chance?
Thanksgiving
I am not here to tell you that Thanksgiving is better than Christmas, because it is not. I am here to tell you why Thanksgiving needs its time. Thanksgiving is a holiday that is based on food; think about it, we get a week off of school to eat food one day and shop the next. Thanksgiving represents who we are as Americans: we eat, watch football, sleep, and shop.
Christmas is great, but it is so stressful. You have to shop for everyone, figure out what kind of tree to get, decide how to hang the lights, and on top of it all, listen to the same ten Christmas songs over and over!
One of the best things about Thanksgiving is how universal it is. All you have to do is be American to celebrate Thanksgiving. Everyone can celebrate it! All the aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents gather together, not because they have to, but because they want to. Also, it’s not because we want presents from each other but because we genuinely want to spend time with each other.
Whether it’s around a giant table filled with turkey and stuffing, or around a brown comfy couch watching football, Thanksgiving is all about surrounding yourself with the people you love.
Thanksgiving is more relaxing than Christmas. Again, I will say I do not hate Christmas; I simply think Thanksgiving needs its time. You can’t skip the second most American holiday (Fourth of July is first, of course.) and go right to Christmas. At the end of the day, let Thanksgiving be celebrated in November and Christmas in December.
Christmas
Thanksgiving is a great holiday, but Christmas is better. Thanksgiving is all about being thankful, and Christmas is all about showing your loved ones that gratitude. Hearing your mom say she is thankful you’re in her life definitely will bring a smile to your face, but nothing creates more of a genuine grin than a homemade drawing from your toddler cousin on Christmas morning.
Shopping for Christmas is the least bit stressful; I personally love finding gifts for friends and family. Actions speak louder than words. Finding that perfect gift for your Grandma is so much more satisfying than eating her “famous casserole.”
Giving gifts is a way to show those you care that you listen. Christmas gives us an excuse to remind our dearest friends we pay attention to them. Nothing says “I care” like giving a pair of fuzzy socks to a friend who often suffers from chilly toes.
Yes, everyone loves a feast, but we can’t ignore Christmas dinner! Just as you finish those Thanksgiving leftovers, you’re greeted with a new wave of homemade dishes. Your family all squeeze around the table, elbows bumping and placemats overlapping. Everyone is smiling; everyone is thankful it’s finally Christmas.
The tree, the lights, the music, the presents, the family, the cheer — December just isn’t enough time for it all!
