Thanksgiving

OK I know I always say this but thanksgiving is without a doubt my favorite holiday.
This past Thanksgiving lived up to all the expectations I had of it, it was fantastic. Thanksgiving just has a more relaxed feel to it, not so commercialized as Christmas has become. I believe this quote pretty much sums it up.
 "Thanksgiving is the holiday of peace, the celebration of work and the simple life... a true folk-festival that speaks the poetry of the turn of the seasons, the beauty of seedtime and harvest, the ripe product of the year - and the deep, deep connection of all these things with God". ~Ray Stannard Baker
The thanksgivings of my youth were always spent with a huge family celebration. Many on the farm in western Kansas with my Moms family, her sisters and brothers and all their kids. Probably about 30 people or more, I really don't know how we all fit into that small farmhouse but we always made it work.
B.R. was always the hunter, he LOVED to hunt, and Kansas was prime pheasant hunting area, so I guess as my mom wanted to see her family he would use it as an excuse to go hunting. All the children and men would go pheasant hunting. We would walk miles through the fields while the women would fix Thanksgiving dinner. I don't remember a big amount of pheasants shot, but I guess it was enough to keep B.R.'s attention so we continued going out there for quite a few Thanksgivings. Before we ate dinner we always had Prayer and a round of thankful thoughts. We always had a good time out there.

When we stayed home for Thanksgiving day B.R. and I would also hunt , Pheasant or duck. It was a smaller celebration, but some of his family would find their way to our house, usally one of his wayward brothers. I don't ever remember having a football game on or anything like that, it was a family day.
After I married my lovely wife we wanted our own traditions so we had our Thanksgiving at our house,many times I would have to work. I woud take my young son with me as I checked my wells, we would pheasant hunt a little bit too. My wife (Sherri) would be home fixing dinner so we would get home as soon as we could to spend the day all together. She would make a wonderful meal every time!
I miss the days where it was a true holiday, stores were closed because people valued their employees back then. I hate that stores are open now, have we really become so greedy that we can not honor a family holiday anymore? Do we as a society think that we need stuff so bad that we don't value family time?
This past Thanksgiving was just awesome. My son and his family were here to celebrate with us. My daughter and I did most of the cooking, just because we like to so much. We all spent the day together, had the parade on t.v. - no football. We had Sherri's family over, we spent the day all together and I believe had a wonderful time. That is what Thanksgiving should be about, being thankful for your blessings and the people in your life that are a true blessing. I couldn't ask for a better day!