What Our Thanksgiving Traditions Are Missing

Thanksgiving is in only two weeks! Can you believe it?! I feel like we just started Fall, yet turkey day is upon us!

I really love all the holidays. Christmas is my favorite, but Thanksgiving is 2nd. I love the warmth of family (and not to mention cute sweaters that it's finally cool enough to wear), delicious food, and the food coma and rest that ensues after the feast.

When I set out to write this post, I was planning to write about what my family normally does, and how watching A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is an absolute must. But as I was typing, I realized something: some people don't get to celebrate this time of year. There are people with no family to love on, and people who spend their holidays out in the cold with no place to call home. Forget a fireplace and a giant feast- they'd just like a building with heat and something- anything- to eat.

I know a few people who spend part of their Thanksgiving serving food to the homeless. I think that is such a wonderful gift. I also started doing research and realized that most areas have some sort of "Thanksgiving box" donations. This is where you provide a Thanksgiving meal for a family. The box would include things like canned sweet potatoes (I'm from the South and refuse to say "yams", #southerngirl), canned green beans, canned pumpkin, boxed cake, dinner rolls, and a frozen turkey. After you assemble the box, you would drop it off at whatever center was doing the collection, and they would distribute it to families in need on a designated day.

I think this is such a great idea and opportunity. Even if I don't go serve food on Thanksgiving, I can still help by donating. I highly recommend that you search online for something like this in your area. I have all ideas that most cities have one.

I also think that Thanksgiving needs to actually be a time of thanks and giving to others. Whether you have kids, it's just you and your significant other, or you have a large family, figure out ways that the focus can stay on the right things.

Maybe you could have your kids make cards for someone you know in the nursing home and you could drop them off on your way to your own dinner.
Or maybe you and your husband could show up early and help cook dinner.
You could even make little cards for your family that say why you are thankful for them. It doesn't take extravagance to show love and appreciation. Thanks can be given in even the tiniest of ways.

So while I definitely plan to enjoy my holiday traditions with my family, and while I feel no guilt about eating plenty of yummy things, I do want to do a much better job of giving thanks and showing it outside of my own little, selfish, bubble. I would encourage you to do the same.


What are your holiday traditions, and what can you do to start incorporating the true meaning of Thanksgiving into those traditions?