But what about Thanksgiving?

 My first Thanksgiving with the cutest turkey in town.

If you've made a trip to Walmart, Target, or any department store lately you've probably noticed that stores already have their Christmas decor out. "What?!?!" you may have shouted, "But what about Thanksgiving?" You might feel that stores have tapped into our excessive consumerism to get us to jump right onto the "let's start stopping for Christmas" bandwagon. Here are my thoughts on this.....

Thanksgiving is ultimately about us giving thanks. I am most thankful for Jesus and my family, two things that are celebrated and embraced at Christmas. So therefore, I am thankful for Christmas, even at Thanksgiving.

I decorate for Christmas the Saturday after Thanksgiving. If I want to plan ahead for my decortating, it makes sense to be able to see my options before the big decorating day happens.

I shop on a budget. I plan and start looking for gifts to buy people before the Christmas season officially begins so it makes sense to me to see gift ideas early.

Christmas smells good. Stores intentionally make areas smell like cinammon and marshmellows during this time of the year. Take a whiff and smile big :)

Christmas movies are heart warming on cloudy fall days. It's early November and I have already watched Elf. Not because I don't plan on celebrating Thanksgiving, but because it made me laugh on a cold rainy night when Eva and I were just hanging out at home together.

Christmas music is the best music ever. I much prefer whatever style of music you would say most Christmas songs fall into than any other music. Aside from the cheesy bad ones, most Christmas classics are beautiful. The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear. - Elf
I do now some pretty hilarious thanksgiving songs, but they don't play them on the radio.

Seeing Santa at Walmart makes my toddler excited to go grocery shopping. We walk in and out of the Christmas side, talk about all the seasonal things we see, giggle and sing Christmas songs while we shop. Would you rather me be the stressed out mom with the crying toddler? I think not.

Christmas through the eyes of a child is magical. She is excited about Santa. She is excited about being with family. She is excited about presents. She loves any story about Jesus. Most people eventually "out grow" the Christmas magic and I figure that if I can squeeze in an extra month of excitement for her, why not.

On warm, sunny days it won't feel like Christmas. These are the days to take walks and look at the leaves. These are the days to enjoy fall. Sing the Turkey Time song. (If you have kids you should watch that!) Make hand turkeys. Stomp in a pile of leaves. You know I am a big lover of autumn, so don't think I would overlook any of these experiences.

The joy of anticipation makes life sweeter. When you are about to have a birthday or getting married or planning for a vacation, part of the fun is thinking about all the greatness you are about to experience!

I know that Walmart's reasons for pushing Christmas are way different than mine, but hopefully the next time you fret that Thanksgiving is being overlooked, you can remember my perspective. Gobble, gobble.