As the holiday season approaches, an important debate emerges. When is it appropriate to Celebrate Thanksgiving? Can it be celebrated too early? Not enough? Of course! Some celebrate the holiday too early, pushing Halloween aside, and others may forget to celebrate the holiday simply skipping over it onto the next. The issue at hand is hard to understand and can be different for everyone, but as long as every holiday is celebrated and appreciated as it deserves, I see no issue.
The people who celebrate Thanksgiving too early do not realize what they are missing. Some start the celebration of Thanksgiving even before Halloween has come to a close, leaving candy from Trick or Treating still fresh. Others, wait until November first, a day that is still far too early. At this point, leftover candy can still be found in stores with decorations only just being put away. How can you celebrate a new holiday when the most recent one is still fresh in stores and even your house (candy!)? What about something as simple as the vibe? It is still spooky outside as Halloween may have only just passed.
On the other hand, some skip over Thanksgiving entirely. Sure they have the main meal and visit family, fulfilling the goal of the holiday, but they don’t take the time to appreciate everything that Thanksgiving is. They skip from Halloween straight to Christmas. Jack O’Lanterns are replaced with wreaths, skeletons with Nutcrackers, and candy with candy canes. It is simply wrong. How could one skip over Thanksgiving? The day needs to be celebrated for more than one day, although it is important to not start too early or go too late.
So if some celebrate the holiday too early, and others don’t celebrate it enough, when should you celebrate Thanksgiving? Of course, it can vary from person to person and family to family, but as long as you are comfortable with how you do it (as long as it is celebrated in a fair amount of time), does much else matter? Holidays need to be appreciated in their entirety. So sure, a couple of days after Halloween? Go for it. A couple of days after Thanksgiving? Yup! Just don’t forget that these amazing days only come once a year, so celebrating them in their entirety should be your priority.
