Ahh November, for me at least, I picture scenes of harvest, scarecrows, and think of a big meal on the 22nd. But, because of the industry I work in and the hobbies I have (shopping), November, and Thanksgiving especially, seem to be a forgotten month and holiday.

I was at the mall yesterday and it is all ready for Santa’s arrival on Friday. They are busy installing lights on the palm trees lining the entrance to the mall. When I left the mall, a big Christmas tree for the parking lot crossed the road in front of me on a truck. Talk about a weird sight on November 3!

Meanwhile, professionally, I was preparing for and working on Christmas items in July! Last week Christmas pretty much started as Halloween was quickly dispatched with and Christmas pretty much exploded everywhere. This week as Christmas starts in earnest in my industry I’ll be extra busy.

I love Christmas, and I love Thanksgiving.

It’s just I am always a little sad to watch as Thanksgiving gets forgotten a little more each year. I have no idea why Thanksgiving is special to me. Maybe because growing up in England it was a very American holiday and I grabbed on to it as a sign of home while I lived far away from home. Or it could be because my grandpa passed away on Thanksgiving one year, and I always think of him during Thanksgiving day. Maybe erasing Thanksgiving makes it just another day of the year, when it isn’t for me.

Right now, we have our pilgrims, turkeys, pumpkins, and scarecrows out. We won’t put Christmas decorations up until sometime on Black Friday or on the Saturday after Thanksgiving as we watch Indiana take on Purdue (Go Hoosiers!) on the football field.

Don’t get me wrong, I have done some preparing for Christmas, it just isn’t on display all over the house! I’ve made a sizable dent in my Christmas shopping list.  We went to Lowes this week for a plug and came home with a Mickey Mouse Christmas Wreath as well as the plug! I just wish Thanksgiving wasn’t being relegated to “that holiday that gives us two days off work, a day of sales, and a meal with our family” status. I wish it was a little more than that.

I’ll be sure to hold on Thanksgiving this year at home while I watch the start of the Christmas season advance a little more each year around me.