I know many of us love Christmas. It’s my favorite holiday, for both religious and family reasons. But. Just. STOP!!! You’re missing the holiday chance of a lifetime, a chance to both enjoy family a/o friends, food, and an opportunity to count your blessings.
Before you dive into the appetizers, the drinks, the turkey, the mashed potatoes, or whatever food you prefer (my family tends to like my homemade ravioli for every holiday), take a minute to think about what you’re thankful for. You might go around the table and do this, make your own lists, take a moment of silence to think about it, but PLEASE, make that list! And put aside thoughts of Christmas just for the day. By rushing Christmas, you miss the chance to take a just to be thankful. I think that’s something that in this day and age of negativity, we dearly need!
We have so much for which to be thankful. Having an “attitude of gratitude” every day and not just on Thanksgiving (which, if you live in the US, is today) makes all the difference. If you blog, you have a computer and internet access, a blessing in itself. But if you start listing your blessings, you’ll find you won’t have time to dwell as much on the less positive things in your life.
Our family won’t be together until Christmas. Today it’s just my husband and me, recovering either from a cold (me) or sinus infection (him.) But to be able to simply take a day to relax and recover, sleep, read, watch TV, take a walk, or whatever else, together, is blessing enough. And of course, I’m thankful for each and every one of you who reads and comments on my blog, a daily source of joy. Thanks to each of you and may God richly bless you, today and every day!
This, that and the other thing 
🙂 A very HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you and yours, dear Janet!
I agree, we’d all make things a bit happier if we thought about all the GOOD that happens to us every day.
Enjoy your day!
Claudia xo 🙂
Thanks, Claudia. I hope you’re having a wonderful day as well.
I agree with you… even celebrating can be like multi tasking if we feel a pressure for the next howl-i-day… today is the day we are thankful for having each other… and christmas and even the black furryday is a thing we will forget for today…
Black Friday…grrrrrr! I’ll be working most of the day, but I wouldn’t be out shopping anyway. I don’t need anything badly enough to fight all those crowds!
janet
Happy Thanksgiving, Janet and Bill.
Thanks, Sandra. You two enjoy your non-holiday day as well. 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Janet. Being grateful for every day is essential.
Much better for both attitude and health. 🙂
We don’t have the equivalent of “Thanksgiving” in Australia but it seems a wonderful idea. Enjoy your special day.
Thanks, Sue, and enjoy your non-holiday day, too. 🙂
janet
Enjoy your day of relaxation, hope you both feel better soon, and I’m sure a nice dessert of your choosing will make all the difference. 🙂
I’m thinking more along the lines of a nice glass of wine or beer. 🙂 Bill’s on antibiotics, so he’s doing much better. I’m doing pretty well, too, but as I think I only had a cold, no drugs for me (other than OTC ones for coughing, etc.).
Hope you have a lovely day.
janet
Well said! I hope you and your husband have a lovely day, and are feeling better soon! Happy Thanksgiving!
And the same to you and yours, Deborah.
janet
🙂 Thank you! xx
Wishing you the same, Janet, and Bill. Best wishes. Randy
Thanks, Randy. Enjoy your day!
Happy Thanksgiving, Janet. I am cooking early today because I have to work…5 to 9 PM at Michaels. Not looking forward to that. It has been a pleasure getting to “know” you this year.
I’m sorry you have to work today. I don’t think stores, retail or grocery, and maybe even restaurants should be open on Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter. All their employees have families, too, and need time to be with them. But as my husband just pointed out, with Amazon around, maybe they need to be open just to make it. I’ve enjoyed getting to know you, too. 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Janet!
Thanks very much. I know you don’t celebrate an official Thanksgiving, but I’m sure you’re thankful each day for all your blessings…as we all should be. 🙂
A lovely message, Janet. Hope you’re over the worst of your colds and can enjoy your day together. 🙂 🙂
We’re both much better today. My husband took a bike ride, which he hasn’t been doing since he got sick. He’s a fairly serious cyclist, so that felt good. I’ve been reading, sipping tea, and just enjoying the sunshine and not having much I have to do. 🙂
Good advice, Janet. I hope that both of you feel better soon.
Ω
Thanks, Allan. We’re both doing better today, not completely back to health, but pretty well and thankful for that 🙂
Enjoyed this post. Couldn’t agree more. The commercial aspect of Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter has taken over like a stage 4 cancer. No matter how hard we try, there’s no way of avoiding the commercialism. Too many people see these holidays as nothing more than a day off from work, stuffing themselves with nary a conversation with the family and friends also at the table, and what’s inside the package with their name on it.
So I hope today turned out to be a great Thanksgiving for you and your husband, despite your cold and his sinus infection. And whatever you ate, and whether you drank beer or wine, I hope you were able to taste it!
I’m a new subscriber to your blog. I’ve been enjoying your posts. —Ginger—
Ginger, thanks so much for chiming in! I’m glad you enjoyed the post and the blog. We’re both feeling much better and just taking advantage of having a day of rest and relaxation. In fact, my husband’s currently taking a nap and I’m contemplating which book to begin next. 🙂
My husband told me he read that one Christian leader said we should just call the real Christmas something else, as the real meaning has been taking over by commercialism. I understand that, but I’ll fight for the actual Reason for the season and work at keeping my/our eyes focused there. I do love having family home, giving gifts, enjoying food and drink together besides celebrating the birth of Christ. I try harder each year to not go overboard with gifts, to make them if possible (not particularly handy) or buy locally or from individuals or small businesses. So far this year, I’ve managed to avoid Amazon and other mega-companies, although sometimes it’s impossible.
Once Thanksgiving is over, I’ll take great joy in getting our Christmas decorations up. In the meantime, I’m thankful for so much and for the time to be thankful.
Cheers!
janet
I’m with you 100 percent! Thanks for a great holiday message – sometimes our focus is on materialism and what others are – or are not doing – not on having a relaxed time with people we care about – while having a smile in our hearts.
My pleasure, Lisa. Thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment as well.
janet
Wishing you a happy and blessed Thanksgiving holiday, Janet!
Thanks so much. 🙂
A wonderful message, Janet. It’s very important to appreciate the positives and what is truly important in our lives. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving sharing time (and medicine 🙂 ) with your husband. I wish you both a speedy recovery.
We’re feeling quite a lot better, Lignum. Thanks very much. Glad you enjoyed the post.
Thought you were out of town, till I saw your comment on another thurs. door blog. Glad you are both on the mending side. So true, we would miss out on much if we would not stand still to look at all the things we can be thankful for! After the fact, but still sending you the available blessings your way!
Thanks, Jesh. I got back Monday afternoon after a good visit with our daughter in Philly. Just taking it a bit easy with blogging as I have extra shifts at work this week and also Thanksgiving. I don’t want to be on the computer all the time. 🙂
janet
I call myself a newbie mom of 3 and I’m trying my best to make our Christmas more to heart. We don’t have Thanksgiving in Latvia, but that doesn’t stop me to slow down and think about what I’m thankful for! Love your post!
Taking time to count your blessings is always appropriate, whether there’s an official Thanksgiving or not. I think that if we take the time, Christmas can be much more meaningful and fun. Sounds like you’re working on that. 🙂
janet
I’m a bit late to wish you both a happy thanksgiving, but I do hope that you’re both fully recovered soon.
We had a nice, quiet Thanksgiving, Su. I’m pretty much back to normal and Bill is on antibiotics and feeling much better. Thanks for the wishes.
janet
Glad to hear you’re both much better.