Santa
Claus’ holiday unfairly eats
turkey, old holiday
forgotten
Jenna
McDaniel
I
was walking through the store the other
day when I was shocked to hear a Christmas
carol playing over the loud speaker, a
real good old ringlin’ jinglin’ Christmas
carol.
This, unfortunately, is becoming a common occurrence. Christmas has ultimately
eaten Thanksgiving. The fact that these songs are playing in November is ludicrous.
In my house, if you are caught singing a Christmas carol before the Thanksgiving
turkey has been cut, you owe a quarter. OK, so it may be a bit harsh to those
in my family, but for us it keeps Christmas in check.
And I feel that is appropriate. Frankly, I think Christmas has gotten out of
hand.
It has morphed into a materialistic holiday. People are concerned with what
is given to them rather than what they are giving.
Do you remember what you gave last year? Do you remember that your parents
got you that shiny iPod you really had to have? We have lost the concept of
being thankful for what we already have. This is why Thanksgiving is so important.
Thanksgiving has simply become another mile marker to Christmas. We see the
decorations in the stores change from Halloween costumes and candy to Christmas
lights and wrapping paper. Squeezed between Halloween and Christmas, Thanksgiving
has almost become a lost holiday.
Has our society become so wrapped up in consumerism that we cannot be grateful
anymore? Maybe we are so accustomed to this high-paced world that we expect
everything to be handed to us on a silver platter.
We want and want and want and want. Personally, I think we need to let a little
bit of turkey be handed to us on the silver platter and forget about all this “stuff” we
itch to have.
The commercials flashing on television and sparkling Christmas decorations
seen during mid-November cause children to pester parents earlier about Christmas
and what they want Santa to bring them.
I have a 6-year-old sister and I can guarantee when we walk into a store and
Princess Barbie is sitting on a holiday display, the “I wants” set
in.
What kind of values are we teaching this younger generation? Just as much as
your parents do not want to hear your siblings whine, I am sure you do not
appreciate it either. We should be teaching them the importance of giving rather
than receiving.
Giving is a selfless act. It is something we can do for others and not expect
anything in return. That is what makes giving so special.
During Thanksgiving we give thanks for anything and everything important to
us. We might be thankful for our families, the opportunities we are given to
accomplish our goals we set for ourselves or maybe we are thankful for something
as small as the time you get to spend with a best friend.
When was the last time you actually sat down and thought about the things to
be thankful for? I am not referring to the big screen television in your room
hooked up to the latest and greatest Xbox, but the possessions in life you
really could not live without or that can never be replaced.
So while you enjoy that scrumptious meal we call Thanksgiving dinner, take
a moment to realize what it is in your life you have to be thankful for. Maybe
if we all do this we will remember how important Thanksgiving really is.
Jenna McDaniel is a sophomore art major.
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