Top 4 Reasons Thanksgiving is my Favorite Holiday and 3 Reasons it is better than Christmas!
Hey Team,
Another Holiday Season is upon us, and the world turns. It is always funny how time continues to accelerate and how the calendar turns so fast these days. So here we are…another Holiday Season is starting this week with Thanksgiving this Thursday, then Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and before you know it… Christmas, New Year, etc. What is fun for me, however, is my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. I know what you are thinking…not Christmas? But no, I love Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving, to me, is more than football games and overstuffed bellies on the couch. I have fond memories of my Thanksgiving time with my grandparents. My grandparents lived on a ranch on many acres, and it was always a positive experience. Riding four-wheelers, shooting clay pigeons, archery, hiking back trails, or just exploring the land was fun, but the best was the festivities. For some reason, Thanksgiving was always a positive experience. Even when I was in college, my wife and I would go to her aunt's house for Thanksgiving. All the extended family would show up, and it was a night of good food, conversation, and me eventually falling asleep on the couch in front of everyone. HA. Overall, I have always enjoyed the holiday. But here are my top reasons why.
TOP FOUR REASONS THANKSGIVING IS THE BEST
1. No Pressure with gifts: Christmas these days gets a little aggressive. Part of the experience of Christmas is gift-giving, but it can also be daunting to make sure every sibling, cousin, aunt, grandma, grandpa, mom, dad, and maybe the dog… has a present. I like Thanksgiving because you get all of the festivities of Christmas but without the pressure of gifts.
2. Guaranteed Extended Holiday: I like Thanksgiving because it is consistent and predictable. It is so nice to know it will always be the last Thursday in November, and I will have a four-day weekend. It is easy to plan what the family will be doing. Other prominent holidays are revolving and are always on a particular day; thus, they will fall on a weekday or be less predictable.
3. Less Travel: Our family tends to stay close to home for this holiday, so we are usually not on the road trying to rush around to visit extended family. We enjoy making a good meal, having a great time with our local family, and not running from house to house.
4. Best Holiday Timing: One of my favorite reasons I love Thanksgiving is because of the date. Thanksgiving is always the first day (Thursday) of the holiday break. So after the party, you still get a three-day weekend for all your other home chores. As mentioned earlier, we tend to stay close to home, so I use the additional days to shore up the house for winter.
TOP THREE REASONS THANKSGIVING IS BETTER THAN CHRISTMAS
1. Non-denominational: Christmas is unique because not everyone celebrates the holiday. Christmas over the years has come under attack, and some businesses have stopped employees from greeting people with Merry Christmas. The reason for this...it is a Christian holiday, so not everyone will celebrate. With Thanksgiving, we all can find a reason to be thankful.
2. Gratitude-focused: Thanksgiving is all in the name… Thanks and Giving. We give thanks during this day and this time as it is a day of reflection. Gratitude is one of the greatest attributes we can utilize today to bring joy to our lives. It is powerful. Thanksgiving puts this front and center. Years ago, we started a tradition to take the time after Thanksgiving dinner and have each family member state what we were thankful for this year.
3. No elves!: Yeah… I don't have to worry about any sneaky "Elf on the Shelf" and all of that drama!
Have a great Thanksgiving, and Keep Moving!
• The author, Rob Sumner, is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Sumner Specialized Physical Therapy owner. He's happy to answer any questions about this article, wellness, fitness, or physical therapy overall by phone at (509) 684-5621 or by email at Rob@SumnerPT.com
