Happy Thanksgiving!

I wanted to take a moment today to tell everyone... Happy Thanksgiving!

This is in fact one of my favorite holidays- it ties with Christmas. Halloween is my #1. It seems lately, however, that as soon as the Halloween decorations get set up in the stores- one aisle over has a few Christmas items. It seems day by day, that one little contained area with a few Christmas items grows... It multiplies overnight. They seem to breed like rabbits, and before you know it.... An entire aisle has now been overtaken. And the Halloween items hunker together, desperately trying to keep the Christmas items at bay until after October 31st. Certain times it works, and others.... Well the poor Halloween costumes and accessories are just moved and cluttered into one little half-aisle and put on sale. How very sad.

Now that I think about it, the Halloween items seem to disappear no later than November 2nd. Poof!!! They're gone! No matter how stupid, silly, wrecked or gaudy the items may be.... There's never a trace left- a CSI crew could do a trace workup on the sections of the shop and not even find a single clue the Orange and Black holiday inhabitants were ever even there. Looking around, you find yourself in Narnia Ok, not that extreme- but you're walking through a winter wonderland of Christmas goodies, knick knacks, ornaments, accessories, scary lawn blow up figures, and The Grinch.

I digress. My point being is as a child, I remember three separate holidays. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. They used to be individual- but it seems we have Christmas promotions, deals and items being put up on shelves earlier and earlier each year. At this rate- I'm tempted to tell the stores just don't ever take your Christmas section of the store out. But I would really like to see Halloween items up for a few days past the holiday. I'd like to see Thanksgiving and Harvest items in their own section of the store, to be celebrated.

I'm thankful for my family, for all we are, and do for each other.

I'm thankful I have two wonderful parents, who've been my ultimate role models. For everything they've given us children, for all they've sacrificed for us- I am grateful.

I'm thankful for the two sisters, and the brother I have. Being the oldest- I look back on all these years, all these holidays- and I wonder where the time has gone. From when we used to make construction paper cut-outs of Indian and Pilgrim costumes, to Harvest crafts.... And now this year, where all but my brother are here together. He's here in spirit, and will be home for Christmas. My siblings are my best friends.

I'm thankful for all my friends- those who I know from my younger days, from college, from living in various states and through a multitude of jobs. From the many friends I've met through here- online. Each of you have touched me in a way, and I'm so glad I have you as friends.

So here's to Turkey Coma's, having funny conversations at the dinner table, eating homemade pies and having some relative pinch your cheeks as they say hello. I'm thankful that we're here, together.

Happy Thanksgiving my dear friends!!

xoxoxo ~*Snarky P