Growing up, Thanksgiving was never that big of a deal to me. Sure, my family celebrated with some of my grandparents and cousins, but our lunch was nowhere near the same caliber of some of my friends' Thanksgiving dinner feasts. In fact, we were more focused on the Cowboys game on our television than the actual holiday.

I remember there was always so much backlash, whether it be directed at me, or groups, or companies, or even stores. I worked at the mall in high school, and I was amazed watching people grow upset over the Christmas decorations hanging from the ceilings before Thanksgiving was even over. I had to deal with countless customers, asking why we had our Christmas tree set up in our store, having to always answer with my company-given response and a fake smile.

To this day, I still don't understand why it's such a big deal. Yes, I know what Thanksgiving truly means, and why it was so important to the colonies and what the holiday has implemented for years to come, but is it really that much of an outrage to plan ahead? We obsess over Halloween before the Fourth of July is even over, and we begin to plan our New Year's party plans before Christmas is finished.

People are drawn to the Christmas season because of the pure joy it gives them. Between the twinkly lights, and the smooth music, and the warmth that simply radiates off of everyone you pass, it's easy to fall in love with such a holiday. Personally, I love the Christmas season because it is one of the only times I can spend long amounts of time with my family with little interruptions, because they are always traveling. Is it really that wrong to begin to celebrate a month early?

In today's world, we have countless people from many different backgrounds moving to America, and while the American celebration of Thanksgiving is rightfully an American holiday, we can't think that everyone should conform to an American holiday. It is why people who work in food or retail now say "Happy holidays!" rather than "Merry Christmas!" It is not a way to erase the American past - rather, it is a way to be more inclusive. Not everyone celebrates Christmas, just like not everyone celebrates Thanksgiving. Some may view this as liberal or a form of erasure, but we can no longer afford to think that we should only cater to American-born citizens.

However, I deeply believe in the season of giving and the season of thanks. I thank God every day for this free country, and my loving parents, and my open-hearted friends. I am immensely blessed to be able to go to the college of my choosing and to work only because I want to. I am thankful for my kind sister and my adorable pets.

I also believe that Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to give back, as is the rest of the year. I believe that it is the perfect time to get together with family and truly spend valuable time with them, not because you have to - because you want to. But I would much rather spend my time at a food kitchen, or partnering with the Salvation Army or any other local non-profit, rather than sitting around a table eating food I could eat any other time of the year. I don't think that you need a holiday to remind you to be thankful of your blessings.

'Tis the season of giving. So, if you choose to skip Thanksgiving and go straight to Christmas, that is quite alright. Be kind, and open, and treasure every second of this holiday season.