I want you to imagine what your perfect Thanksgiving sounds like, smells like, and looks like.
For me, it's Thanksgiving with both sides of my family. It's getting up early in the morning to get ready, then heading to my father's parents. We will have our traditional Thanksgiving Day brunch, complete with ham, fruits, potatoes, and an assortment of danishes and rolls. After brunch, we all gather around in the living room and talk for a few hours.
At some point before 1 pm, we head to my mother's family. Walking in the door, you're stuck in the entryway hugging and talking to people for a good ten minutes before finally being able to head to the kitchen and help out. Lunch consists of both ham and turkey, every vegetable you can name, pies galore, and an assortment of finger foods. The day is complete with laughing, fooling around, and maybe a round of ping-pong or two.
Everyone's Thanksgiving is different. I'm sure what you pictured as your perfect holiday is different from mine. However, some people's are drastically different.
For some, Thanksgiving is filled with dread at the idea of not having a family to go to or having to deal with the notion that their family has abandoned them. Others are living on the streets, dreaming of having a decent meal for once, especially on a day that is supposed to be filled with good food. Maybe someone is spending Thanksgiving alone for the first time. Unfortunately, some are having to work on this day and be away from their family.
There are many reasons that someone may not have the best Thanksgiving in the world. However, if you do have the perfect day, I want you to consider a few things to think about and a few more ways for you to get involved and help make someone else's day better.
First off, I want you to think about what you would feel like if you didn't have that perfect day. Chances are, you would feel like crap. I want you to consider this and use it as a tool to push yourself to do good for others.
Next, I want you to think about ways you can do good this Thanksgiving. To help you out, I've included a list below.
1. Volunteer at the local soup kitchen and serve the homeless or less fortunate a warm meal.
2. Give money to the person with the cardboard sign. Better yet, take him or her somewhere and buy them some necessities, like toiletry products, clothes, or food.
3. Spend your time at a homeless shelter to help out the staff that cannot do it all all of the time.
4. Invite your elderly neighbor who lives alone to join your family for Thanksgiving, or even just send them a holiday card.
5. If you go to any store for any reason on Thanksgiving, be extra courteous to those who are working.
6. Donate any extra canned or non-perishable foods to your local food pantry.
7. If you have any extra warm winter clothes, consider giving them to nonprofits who donate them to needy families or those who are homeless.
Essentially, I know that you want to spend Thanksgiving in the perfect way with your family and loved ones. I understand. But there are those out there who are less fortunate than you or I.
Consider doing one of the above items from the list, or even one you thought of yourself, all in the idea that this Thanksgiving, realize you're pretty darn lucky and help those who aren't.
