Thankful

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. When I was a kid, all my friends were excited about Christmas. As a college student, my friends were excited about parties on Halloween and New Year’s Eve, or Valentine’s Day with their boyfriends. For me, I’ve always looked forward to Thanksgiving the most.

Thanksgiving involves so many of my favorite things. The food is pretty much a list of all the things I would eat constantly if they had no calories (and stuffing is my absolute favorite). My family is originally from New York, so the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a must – I even record it so I know I’ve caught it all and can re-watch it. We even get football in the afternoon (and this year our Redskins are playing). I love being home with my entire family, and the feeling of us all putting aside whatever craziness is going on in our lives for the day. I love the welcoming aspect of it – and they way my parents open their home to everyone. I love watching my girls with my parents and sisters, and I love having a day to celebrate all we have.

I wrote about it two years ago, but one of the things I love most about Thanksgiving is that it’s an American holiday. There are a million ways to celebrate it, and all of them are correct. You don’t have to be a certain religion or heritage to celebrate it. You don’t have to eat the traditional foods or host a big meal. You can celebrate the day however you want. I think right before the craziness of the gift-giving holidays, it’s exactly what we need. It’s a moment to unite us and remind us of all we have, if just for one day.

There are countless things I can say I’m thankful for this year, but tops on my list are my husband and my two healthy girls. I’m so excited to celebrate Ella’s first holiday tomorrow, and our first as a family of four – and I’m so thankful that I get to share one of my favorite days with all the people I love.