I would swap the modern Christmas celebrations for Thanksgiving Day at the drop of a hat. With each year that passes the simplicity of the former has been drowned in a loud opera of noise & commercialism. Unnecessary hours, days and weeks spent on the one-up-man-ship of proving how much people care by buying the biggest flashiest present, no matter whether they can really afford it, or if the gifted really wants or needs it.
Time is the cheapest most precious personal gift that anyone can receive. I mean real time… without the interruption of modern technology – a phones/games off zone!
So on this THANKSGIVING DAY, my message to all my American friends and family, far and near:
If you are travelling, may the roads rise with you,
no traffic and no troubles delay you.
Hoping all of you will remain safe and well,
May your celebrations and gatherings be happy, serene and fun loving.
Your meals are delicious and your dessert sweeten the love in your hearts…
… and may the coming year give you even more to be thankful for. Good one!
… and the same to you, Kate.
Hear hear! Instead of being a simple occasion for rest and relaxation, Christmas has turned into a wild spending spree ending with a debt-ridden, alcohol-soaked, stress-ridden hangover. Jesus would be horrified at the pointless excess and waste.
Nick, you have me smiling! The strange thing is that at Christmas, I seem to eat less and drink little. I like the festive food, but not all in the one day. Perhaps that is why I now like to stay home over the holiday.
Thanks, GM.
We’ll have a simple vegetarian Thanksgiving (all the fixins’ without the bird) . . . topped off with two kinds of PIE! Here’s to all the things we’re grateful for ~ food, fun, family, and friends!
Nancy, a perfect toast ~ food, fun, family, and friends!
Neither holiday is that much of a big deal for us any more. Our oldest lives close, but can’t afford much of anything, and our youngest and her little family live in far away Wisconsin (about 14 hours driving). They were all here a year ago, which made it nice. This year – just a nice quiet day, no travels.
Thanksgiving has not really caught on over here unlike Halloween, Black Friday & Christmas with stores setting up special departments in August. Then you have houses decorated with displays requiring more lights than there are stars in a galaxy! It is all very well until the bills come in for the electricity used… then the whining starts. I think you need small children about in order to re-discover the spirit of Christmas.
I keep things very simple as do most of my tribe out here. Love thanksgiving which is earlier than the US one. I find the concept of Black Friday and all those tents appalling.
so many have lost the plot to consumerism.
XO
WWW
WWW, I agree with you about losing the plot!
I like Thanksgiving, it is a renewal of connections with family & friends, a time of thankfulness for all that we are blessed with.
Brighid, that is the very reason why I would prefer it to Christmas.
This was the most fun day of the year us. It started in the morn, with tables set up in the garage for sausage gravy n biscuits, then David made deep-fried turkeys most the day and friends n’ family came from miles.
blessings ~ maxi
Maxi, when I lived in Germany, I was invited to spend Thanksgiving with an American Family. I have never forgotten how wonderful it was.
Thank you for the nice sentiment … but fat chance of that last message happening!
Tom I was across the pond about twelve years ago and could not believe how big the food portions were and the fact that most people left half of it on the plates. Such a waste.
Thank you for the sentiments, Marie. This is an odd year in that we will not see much family, but still quite thankful that we have them!
Al, you are welcome. I am looking forward to tomorrow, when Elly, George and Buffy the dog are coming to have lunch with me.
I have never thought about it like that – but yes, something simpler and more family orientated with a sprinkling of national history would be much better than retailers ringing up the $$ and all the mad other aspects.
In NZ it’s coming up to summertime and that means organisations close for summer recess – and those organisations often are doing Christmas events in November!
Crowds pushing and shoving, saturatingly soggy rain and 50 mph winds, all add to to raised stress levels and accidents. I keep away as much as possible.
‘Trick or Treat’ … ‘Black Friday’ … ‘School Proms’ etc. … Somewhere some marketing genius is working on how to sell … ‘Thanksgiving, and the ‘First of July’ to the British public. It won’t be long in coming. Greed will see to that.
BTW … My family no longer buy each other Christmas presents. The money that we would have spent now goes to our favourite charities. Pass me my hallo ! … 🙂
John, I am with you on the pressie lark. Most of mine travelled long distance, so the Post Office was the winner for years. About eight years ago, I sent a donation on behalf of the names on my present list to charity and nobody complained, in fact several family members now do the same.
Oops ! … Of course it’s the 4th July … Mind you, I’m betting that half the people on this side of ‘the pond’ would celebrate on any day that some TV ‘celeb’ told them too ! .. 🙂
That is a sure bet, John!
I am so with you on this. The present thing makes Christmas so hard for so many. Thanksgiving has no presents just people that you (hopefully) love!
People and time fill my heart with joy, I was never into presents and always found accepting them difficult.
The idea of a day when you give thanks for all the good things in your life is a lot more appealing than a day when you’re expected simply to over-indulge until you feel physically ill. And the only thing you give thanks for is the indigestion tablets.
I certainly think so, Nick. I have noticed that I always seem to lose my appetite at Christmas and end up eating and drinking very little. I already have my dinner organised for the main event and in my freezer.
I’m so behind on reading your posts, Marie. Oh my, time’s arunning. And you have been so busy! Have to catch up a lot and it’ll take some time… Want to leave my best wishes to you!
Btw or better according to the title of your post I want to thank you for all – for your kindness, for your humour, for making me laugh always again and for your love within your heart!
Irmi, I am slowly playing catch up. Will send a proper email later this evening.