A time of Thanks

The time of year ushers in a new pace of life.  Despite the impending holidays and the promise of vacation and time with family, the holiday season is practically upon us.  With the season comes a hectic and chaotic time, filled with large expenses and long drives.  If holidays are to be enjoyed, why is the season so fast paced?  My family is no exception to the rush of the holidays.  We shop, prepare, cook, bake, and seemingly watch the time fly by without any notice.  Yet with a day like Thanksgiving steadily approaching, it is our responsibility to step back and remember the integral importance of the day in our lives and the lives of our families.  

Each year for as long as I can remember, my family has been conned into holding the family thanksgiving meal.  I am being quite cynical when I say con, but man is it a ton of work.  The thanksgiving meal, as with anything involved with my family, is a colossal production.  According the last years consensus, we has 46 people attend.  That means a few things.  Firstly it means that my mother is brought to near insanity from sleepless nights over preparing and cooking an excellent meal for 100 people (the leftovers last us well into December).  Also involved is my brother and I trading our room for a tent in the backyard to accommodate guests.  My siblings and I spend long hours being chased down by my mother for various different infractions such as making a mess, eating in the clean kitchen.  My brother and I jokingly refer to my mother as the warden during the Thanksgiving time.  The more I jest though, the more I realize how worthwhile the arduous work is.  

Thanksgiving day is my favorite day of the year.  All of the chaos and rush melts away and fades into the background of jovial conversations and family members enjoying the company of others.  The food is almost always excellent, except this one truly awful dish that my aunt makes each year that is filled with tomatoes (which I haven't eaten in years).  The annual football game always takes place, generally followed by everyone playing my my uncle in pingpong who is semi professional.  Most likely I am describing scenes similar to many other families across the nation who spend their thanksgiving together.  

If you are not a fan of the family functions that take place during the holiday season I offer you my heartfelt sympathy.  The meal at Thanksgiving is symbolic of everything that a family should be.  Together under one roof, united and gathered for a special meal, enjoying company and giving thanks for all they have been given.  Perhaps this post is a bit early, but it mirrors my excitement for the coming holiday.  If I accomplished anything in this post, I hope I imparted some elation for the holidays.  As always, use the time to connect with your family.  Use the holiday season to bring the emphasis of family back into your life.