In this day and age, Thanksgiving can be compared to that friend you forgot to invite to the party. It's not that you purposely left them out… you just forgot. Thanksgiving gets the short end of the stick because Christmas shows up early all sparkly and attention grabbing. Even if we sometimes forget about poor Thanksgiving, this holiday has so many great things going for it that we can definitely be thankful for.

1. The food.

Nothing compares to Thanksgiving dinner. With the large assortment, everyone can find something they like. Turkey? Stuffing? Mashed Potatoes? What will I choose?!

2. Being with family.

No other holiday brings families together like Thanksgiving does. Sitting around the table with your extended family reflecting on memories and participating in whatever traditions your family may have is an amazing feeling.

3. Football is on TV.

No matter if you are a sports fan or not, everyone gathers around the TV on Thanksgiving to watch the game. Football and food? What more could you ask for?

4. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Some of my favorite Thanksgiving memories include waking up to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. Seeing the floats, both old and new has always been exciting. And getting to see Santa Claus at the end is great too.

5. The puppy bowl.

Speaking of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, the next best thing is the Puppy Bowl shown right after. If you don’t wake up in time to view the parade, you can watch adorable puppies run around “playing” football.

6. Dessert.

What other day of the year is it socially acceptable to eat five slices of pie? After the main course spread, dessert is the cherry on top of the sundae (pun intended).

7. Black Friday.

If you really think about Black Friday it seems crazy to stay up all night just to get a deal when shopping, but the experience itself is what make the event so great. So stalk up on Red Bull and go get that plasma tv you’ve been eyeing.

9. The leftovers.

Food always seems to taste even better the next day and this definitely goes for Thanksgiving dinner. You’ll have delicious meals for at least a week after and we aren’t complaining at all.

10. The food coma.

All that L-Tryptophan in the turkey probably has your eyes drooping. Just crash on the couch, turn on some football and let the food coma take over. Best. Nap. Ever.

11. Getting the day off.

Nothing can beat getting a day off from work. You have so much time to eat your favorite food and spend time with family.

12. Giving thanks.

There aren’t many days of the year that we sit down and take the time to reflect on the things we are grateful for. On Thanksgiving we spend the time thinking about what we are grateful for and this makes the holiday that much better.