Don't Deck the Halls Yet
by Steve Watters on 11/13/2009 at 2:25 PM
Christmas is showing up all over the place whether you're ready for it or not. My son and I drove by a house in our neighborhood last night that already had their 20,000 plus Christmas light bonanza fully blazing. This is the time of year I start to feel like Thanksgiving has just become a quick meal on the way to Christmas. What happened?
"Thanksgiving has lost its cultural muscle," writes Eric Felton in a Wall Street Journal commentary today. He adds, "The early advent of the Santa season may have less to do with the red-and-green imperative than with the weakness of Turkey Day."
His assessment of the state of Thanksgiving in the 21st century is worth reading:
Could it be we've lost our capacity for gratitude? A successful harvest occasioned thanks back when it was all that stood between us and a long, cold, hungry winter. But now we're divorced from the seasonal rhythms of the farm, where the harvest is celebrated as the payoff of all the year's labors. Even in the midst of this Great Repression we enjoy perpetual plenty. What resonance does a cornucopia have to people who have come to expect ripe blackberries in February? If anything, we should be more grateful, but that's not our nature. Anything we struggle for, we hold dear; anything that comes easy, we take for granted.
He goes on to capture the awkwardness of trying to enjoy a family feast when some of those around the table just want to moralize about the food:
Not only don't we celebrate the astonishing abundance that is our good fortune, we whine and moan about how it makes us fat.... And if that weren't enough to squeeze the pleasure from the day, no modern Thanksgiving is complete without a college student home from school, lecturing the family on the cruelty of meat. (To which the only appropriate response is: "Does that mean you don't want the drumstick?")
He ends with an invitation to enjoy a little more of the goodness of autumn and Thanksgiving before diving into Christmas:
... before we break out the ornaments and dust off the Vince Guaraldi soundtrack, let's make the most of autumn and its particular pleasures. Jump in a pile of leaves. Savor the waning daylight. And go ahead. Week after next, eat that second slice of pumpkin pie—just be thankful for it.
1. twilley said the following at 2:40 PM on Nov 13:
Ah, you know, I was just thinking about this the other day--I am currently in Germany spending my first holiday season outside the U.S., and here since there's no Thanksgiving, Christmas season is already basically in full swing! But being here makes me miss the way to mark the season's change.
2. Rebekah in SoCal said the following at 3:18 PM on Nov 13:
I've ALREADY decked my halls. I am always so excited to celebrate the miracle of "God with us" (and the "dawn of redeeming grace" and prophecy fulfillment and looking forward to promises yet-to-be fullfilled) that I observe Christmas from Reformation day to Epiphany. But then, the things I love about Christmas really have very little to do with "Santa season" and American consumerism.
BUT, the article does make a good point--we have lost Thanksgiving. Even when we acknowledge Thanksgiving, it's Turkey day AKA the day we eat like gluttons and laze around in front of the TV.
I've personally spent so much time worrying about how my new food allergies will affect a weekend at home for Thanksgiving, rather than remembering to be thankful for the fact that I do have plenty of food to eat.
I should sit and think about what I have to be thankful for . . . but I will be listening to "O Come Emmanuel" whilst I ponder.
3. Irene M. said the following at 3:34 PM on Nov 13:
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone has a marvelous time with their families.
This year, I'm hosting Thanksgiving for the first time and meeting my future-in-laws, so I'm super-psyched. I love cooking and baking from scratch, and the holiday really allows me to go all out. I'm planning out two main dishes, seven side dishes, and two deserts. I can't wait to hit up the farmers market.
Plus, (since the article did touch on this issue) as the host, I shouldn't be dealing with any vegetarian family weirdness this year. Don't get me wrong, my family is quite supportive and I love them for that. However, it's hard to sit down and enjoy the meal when there is a running commentary about my plate.
4. Louise from Chicago said the following at 3:39 PM on Nov 13:
On the evening of Nov. 2nd I observed a Christmas tree in someone's window while I was driving home.
This same house had Halloween inflatables all over the yard by mid September.
5. Lost in The World said the following at 4:01 PM on Nov 13:
Not to be all contrary, but...Isn't the real miracle that a tiny speck of fluff, celebrated exclusively in New England, meant to brighten the darkest days of the *Civil War* is still being celebrated today? Over a hundred years later, and it's only *now* dying?
Still, the real culprit here is the Market. Christmas is marketable, so it thrives. Halloween is marketable so it thrives. (Though, personally I noted at least one store that was halls a decked before All Hallows eve.) Thanksgiving, with no presents, or costumes to buy, is less marketable. The market gives, and the market takes away. Blessed be...The One who controls the Market, Eh?
6. Vanessa said the following at 4:08 PM on Nov 13:
I don't think decorating early for Christmas takes away from Thanksgiving in my circle of friends.
I'm just always SO relieved to see all the Halloween stuff go away. I would much rather be reminded of the Christmas season (even if it's the secular version) than of Halloween. Santa Claus in November may make some people shudder...but it just reminds me of Who the REAL reason of the season is...and I'm thankful either way.
7. Mark said the following at 4:34 PM on Nov 13:
I think too many people consider themselves "self-made" these days. With so much emphasis placed on personal accomplishments (but not personal responsibility, oddly), perhaps the problem is that people don't think they have anyone to whom to be thankful.
I'm reminded of Bart Simpson saying grace: "Dear God, we paid for all of this stuff ourselves, so thanks for nothing."
8. Leah said the following at 5:31 PM on Nov 13:
Lost in the World - I had the impression that Thanksgiving started with the pilgrims. I could be wrong, as an Australian, but I thought I'd read that in American books.
Regarding Thanksgiving itself; does it necessarily mean people are less thankful? Most of the world does not celebrate Thanksgiving, yet I daresay most third-world inhabitants are probably more thankful than most Americans.
And remember that ultimately it is not a biblically-ordained event and so it really doesn't matter if people want to celebrate it or not. It might be sad, but not wrong.
9. Kit said the following at 5:51 PM on Nov 13:
I have to admit my tree is up, lights and all.
But I don't think Christmas takes away from Thanksgiving; I Think it's just the more 'retail' nature (sad but true) of the holiday.
10. Audrey said the following at 6:05 PM on Nov 13:
This year we are expecting our second daughter in the first week of December. Having the benefit of knowing just how crazy life with a newborn can be, I started decorating for Christmas way earlier than ever before - on November 4 - so my 2-year-old daughter could have relaxing decoration/talk time. Our tree went up November 6 (though no ornaments yet). I've bought and wrapped nearly ALL presents involved.
And you know what? I'm looking forward to basking in the fruit of my efforts for the entire month of December with my two little ones and my husband, where extra time together, Christmas hymns/carols, and Nativity stories can take center stage. Though I won't start November 4 every year, it does inspire me to get some of the grunt work done sooner in the years to come - so that we can soak up the warmth and encouragement that the season celebrating Christ's birth affords.
11. Carol said the following at 7:00 PM on Nov 13:
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday!!! Bring on the pumpkin pie!
12. Larissa said the following at 7:01 PM on Nov 13:
This is why I live in Canada, so I can start decorating mid-October!
13. Larissa said the following at 7:02 PM on Nov 13:
Plus, isn't Thanksgiving to celebrate Harvest? November is WAY past harvest time.
14. Andrea-Elena said the following at 9:28 PM on Nov 13:
Not a Christmas decoration in sight in my home. But... er... didn't get the autumnal decorations up yet. Oh well. Who can improve on the ones God creates outside? (We've had a lovely November here: sunnier than usual. I think gloomy November and sunny, crisp October switched places this year. October was rainy and overcast a lot.) The leaves have been beautiful, which was such a blessing, since in some years the color change has been such a dud.
Thanksgiving has become more special to me over the years, and I'm looking forward to it even more than usual. (See the Traditions thread for the reason why.)
And after an informative and fun reenactment of the first Thanksgiving, a group read-through drama my fellow volunteers and I did at our local rescue mission recently, I am reminded of what our yearly Thanksgiving commemorates --- the salvation physically that the pilgrims experienced and the good harvest they had thanks to God and their new friends, the native Americans. Our debriefing session also emphasized the freedoms we have here in the United States (our gathering occurred the day before Veterans Day). So... now I can head into Thanksgiving framing it much better than I have in some years.
Gratitude, joy, celebration, and togetherness is what Thanksgiving is all about. And it's nice that it hasn't gotten as commercialized as Christmas has. It's a bit easier to have a more reflective, contemplative holiday, as well as one that can be exuberantly celebratory (or... cutthroat competitive, if you get involved in my family's hours-long game of Risk!! heehee!!).
Thanks, Boundless, for getting us to think about these things. You all are people I'm thankful for. (Among many, of course.)
A blessed remaining November to the Boundless team and to my fellow commenters! =)
15. Sara said the following at 10:22 PM on Nov 13:
My rule is to wait until Advent begins... which is tough for me because I LOVE Christmas. I would do it all year round if I could haha! However, I know part of keeping the season "special" is waiting to even start all my traditions and such.
Plus, I am in Canada, so Thanksgiving was in October. Been there, Done that ;-)!
16. Jo said the following at 2:03 AM on Nov 14:
Can we deck the halls in England, since we don't celebrate Thanksgiving here? :)
I kinda wish we did actually, I think it's a wonderful idea for a holiday and it'd be a lot less self-focused than most of the others. But we don't.
I'm totally ready for all the Christmassy stuff now. As soon as bonfire night is done, it's time for Christmas in my view.
I guess you guys don't have bonfire night though? Not such a 'nice' holiday that one I guess, seeing as it commemorates the foiling of Guy Fawkes' plot to blow up the royal family and his subsequent execution... But fireworks are always fun. :)
17. meganblaire said the following at 8:41 AM on Nov 14:
@Larissa #13 - I nanny for a family of farmers, and live in a very small farming community. With all the rain we've had in Ohio lately, the harvest has been greatly delayed. Most of our farmers will be lucky to be finished by Thanksgiving. This year, we will be thankful for all that the Lord has provided, but will quickly head back out the fields.
18. Wesley said the following at 1:21 PM on Nov 14:
Leah - Thanksgiving has its roots with the Puritans, but it wasn't celebrated yearly until 1863, during the Civil War.
19. Zusanne said the following at 2:46 PM on Nov 14:
I never got around to putting up my Christmas tree last year (I know, it's sad). I thought about putting mine up early this year to make up for lost time.
20. Ashley S. said the following at 3:41 PM on Nov 14:
Don't get me wrong. I absolutely LOVE Christmas. But I still think that Thanksgiving deserves much more respect and reverence than it gets nowadays. Our first President gives many wonderful reasons why we should continue to observe this day in his 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation (it's a little long, but worth reading all the way through):
"WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLIC THANKSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:
NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;-- to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wife, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.
(signed) G. Washington."
21. khalil said the following at 11:52 PM on Nov 14:
#1, I can understand that too. This is my second time abroad for Christmas, the first time was a vacation though. I've noticed that businesses and some homes are already lining up for Christmas now and putting up Christmas trees. This year it helps some as there is a Muslim (Eid al-Adha) holiday around the American Thanksgiving to help usher in the holiday change.
22. Kelly-1 said the following at 12:40 AM on Nov 16:
I was horrified on my first Bonfire night in the UK. Celebrating the execution of a man?!
Just as bad as Hallowe'en, in my opinion!
23. Dan Gill said the following at 7:01 AM on Nov 16:
Thanksgiving is taking a back seat to Christmas because we aren't thankful. Also because we don't spend to excess on Thanksgiving as we do on Christmas. I'm sure the marketers are thinking up ways to make that happen, though.
24. Lost in The World said the following at 9:32 AM on Nov 16:
Leah @ 8:
You are right, and Wesley is right. Thanksgiving was started (as a feast day) by the Pilgrims (Who were separatists from the Church of England, which they considered decadent), as a substitute for Christmas. It was nationalized as a holiday during the darkest days of the American Civil war.
And may I say, I appreciate the effort to learn about my countries history. That is quite kind of you.
25. Jo said the following at 11:26 AM on Nov 16:
Kelly-1, #22
"I was horrified on my first Bonfire night in the UK. Celebrating the execution of a man?!
Just as bad as Hallowe'en, in my opinion!"
Haha, yes it is quite barbaric. But you could say it's really celebrating the fact that Guy Fawkes' treason plot failed, rather than directly celebrating his execution, I suppose. Kids used to make a Guy to burn on the bonfire, but I don't think that's done much any more. I've certainly never liked that part of it. Fireworks though, they're always fun. (Except Catherine wheels - know where they come from?)
Funny you should say it's as bad as Hallowe'en, I've never thought of it like that. If you take away the Guy and just have fireworks and soup and chicken drumsticks, does that make it okay? I wonder...
26. Emma in MS said the following at 6:03 PM on Nov 16:
My dad feels that Thanksgiving is, in many ways, a more Christian holiday than Christmas (certainly in its origins). It's far and away my favorite holiday.
I've always thought Guy Fawkes Day sounds like a great holiday. Isn't it a celebration of the failure of the Gunpowder Plot? A friend of mine went on a trip to Wales in November and went to a Guy Fawkes Day bonfire and a girl asked her, 'Do you have a holiday in the states with fireworks like this?' 'Well, there's the day we celebrate our independence from you . . .'
27. Katie said the following at 11:30 AM on Nov 17:
I completely agree Eric Felton. I hate the feeling of rushing through one holiday just to hurry up and get to the next. I love being able to enjoy each holiday individually and focusing on what it's really about. For Thanksgiving, it's all about realizing how blessed I am in every area of life and showing my gratefulness.
In my family, we have the tradition of eating our Thanksgiving meal at lunch followed by a few hours of fellowship and rest. Then, on Thanksgiving night and the next day, we decorate for Christmas. But last year my brother got married right before Thanksgiving and the spent that holiday with her family. It was sad not having him home and he missed us too, but we did get to spend Christmas with them. This year though, they'll be with us at Thanksgiving but not at Christmas. Because of this, my dear sweet mother, wants to set up the Christmas tree before Thanksgiving so that my brother and sister-in-law can be there while it's decorated. As much as I am vehemently opposed to this, it means a lot to my mom and will help her not to be so sad when Christmas rolls around my brother's not home. So, for this reason, I'm going with the flow but making sure that I don't personally over look Thanksgiving.