my favorite holiday

for many many years now thanksgiving has been my favorite holiday. i've often thought it was very under-appreciated, but i think that may partially be because, while i love it for all the traditional reasons, i have many of my own too.

{thanksgiving '07, sister.me.hubby}

my parents are salvation army officers {simplified, they are pastors and social workers put together} since the holidays are such a time for giving and charity you can imagine how busy my household gets. well, actually maybe not. i know the holidays are crazy for everyone, but in my house it was the most stressful time of the year {and not something we really looked forward to}. my dad dropped us off at school and came home after we went to bed so it's safe to say we saw him most on sundays when he was behind the pulpit. my parents were organizing volunteers, managing bell ringing, over-seeing christmas adoptions, angel tree gifts, food baskets, christmas parties for staff and volunteers, and much much more.

this is of course on top of traditional holiday extras such as orchestra.choir.chamber concerts and friends' holiday parties.

i lost my family during the holidays, and my sister and i usually lived off pizza rolls and frozen pot pies {which i can't complain about because i thoroughly enjoy}

so for me, thanksgiving is not just about what i'm thankful for, it's really about family. it was our family's last hurrah. our last home made meal for many weeks, or actually our last meal together for weeks. it was the weekend we actually got to enjoy the holiday spirit. the presents were all bought {there was no time for shopping after black friday} we always decorated the day after thanksgiving and if the tree didn't get up by saturday, it didn't make it up at all {and yes, that happened once or twice}. after that, it was just a marathon run to christmas day. yes, in my family we counted down the days until christmas for a very different reason!

so even though my parents' positions have changed and christmas doesn't bring as many stresses and obligations as before, and i've moved out of the house {but still eating pizza rolls and pot pies} thanksgiving will always have a very special place in my heart. it always reminds me that though i have many things to be thankful for, the one that out weights all of the others put together is family! i'm going home tomorrow to be with my parents, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews and i can't wait!

what makes thanksgiving so special for you?