#RespectTheTurkey

Let's start a movement.  A hashtag movement.  Or just a regular old movement.

It's not Christmas yet!

Yes, Halloween is over.

Novemeber has just begun.  And the deluge of ads and music and decorations is upon us.  Green and red have become the colors of the season.

And I'm simply not ready yet.

Thanksgiving comes first.  I take this stance each year.  I won't be listening to carols or turning on lights or putting up my tree.

I can understand shopping for presents or making crafts - I think those are things you can do year round.

But I think we tend to jump the gun when it comes to the Christmas season.

Here's what I like about Thanksgiving.  It's not some glamorous holiday.  There isn't much commercialism to it.  It's a simple holiday with a simple ideal - giving thanks.  Being thankful is key to being happy, being fulfilled.

Here's what I dislike about Christmas cropping up before Halloween.  You lose your momentum, it lacks specialness.  When Christmas is part of life for 1/6 of the year, it becomes part of the everyday.

I think we want to celebrate Christmas early because we like the warm fuzzy of it.  We like the memories, the magic, the food, the giving.  But there's no reason not to celebrate those things thorughout the year - we can give compassionately any time, we can feed the poor or make a family meal any time, we can recall fond memories or make new memories any time.  There's no reason to wait for Christmas to make all those things happen.

Maybe we seek Christmas early each year because we're seeking happiness.

And maybe we need to stop and let happiness find us first.

And maybe a solid focus on the month leading up to Thanksgiving as a time to prepare our hearts for being thankful, to truly recognize our blessings, to see the miracles around us each and every day... maybe that's how we actually #RespectTheTurkey.  Thanksgiving lays a wonderful groundwork for Christmas.  By being compassionate, blessed, thankful, our hearts are more prepared to see and meet the needs of others.  Maybe focusing on Thanksgiving will help us reduce the commercialism of Christmas and focus on the meaning of the season, the good that can come from the holiday.

Join me! #RespectTheTurkey!