As many of you know, Thanksgiving Day is coming up soon! College students anxiously await the break where they can stuff their faces with turkey, mashed potatoes, and all the fixings! (However, they may not be too ecstatic about the various questions about their non-existent significant other.) We pray that the snow will hold off until after Thanksgiving to keep the fall feel for one more day. (Too bad that didn't happen...8 ft of snow later). Thanksgiving is such a beautiful holiday, yet the ever-looming thoughts/anxiousness of Christmas takes over the holiday.

To warn you, I may end up ranting over this topic. I never understand why suddenly after Halloween, Christmas decorations are hung. Literally...November 1st. NO! This is not okay. You may have heard about the debate of stopping pre-mature Christmas decorating. I agree 100% with this argument. For you early Christmas song listeners (you are guilty of this treason as well)! I will tell you why.

First off, Thanksgiving is really a beautiful holiday. It is a time to gather around a large table in a cozy home with good company surrounding us. Whether it be friends, family, or strangers, it is a time to be thankful! We are to be thankful of what we have and what we can offer to others. Our wealth is so much greater than we can imagine. Wealth isn't defined by money! (This is where all of the "real housewives" click out of the article). Wealth is defined by the love we are surrounded by. Wealth is defined by the quality of our lives and how much joy we encompass ourselves in! Wealth is the spontaneity of life, the random laughs, the arms that envelop us in tough times. (You probably get the picture.) However, we are so wealthy to have money and financial support involved. The college student here probably begs to differ...I get what it's like to be a "poor college student". I promise you, that you have more wealth than you can possibly imagine! However, the stress of buying Christmas presents and picking out gifts to give and receive take over Thanksgiving. Can I just ask why stores feel the need to extend Black Friday? It is not even Friday yet!!! It is Thanksgiving for crying-out-loud! There are employees who want more than nothing to deal with angry Black Friday shoppers on Thanksgiving.

Doesn't seem very thankful to me. Instead, it seems greedy and un-thankful for the day that has been set aside to remember our history as the United States of America. Oh yeah? You remember when the pilgrims came over and the Native Americans so graciously shared their trades with us. They shared with us, gave their time, talents, and treasures. I feel like we should do the same. I'm not saying you have to go donate everything you have to the homeless or struggling, but I am saying that we should share out time, talents, and treasures with those around us. Whether that means our company at the dinner table or our time to help set up non-pre-mature Christmas decorations (appropriately AFTER Thanksgiving). Some of you may feel moved to invite strangers over for dinner with family and friends, some of you may feel the need to donate money to a good cause, or some of you may feel nothing at all. Whatever it may be. I urge you to truly think of what thankful for! Because, really there is so much to be grateful for!

Spend your holiday surrounded by loved ones, great food, real conversations, and not worrying about the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping. I promise you, no discount is worth sparing quality family and friend time. You will create memories that last forever. Christmas, I hate to break it to you, but Thanksgiving is taking back its rightful holiday! Move out of the way and wait just one more day to cloud the minds of everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving week everyone! Have safe travels and a truly thankful and humbling holiday!

PS- eat lots of mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie!