Thanksgiving Come First

I have just started following blogger Suldog and was sufficiently moved by his impassioned plea to post about this: Thanksgiving Comes First, or, Fie on the Over-Commercialization of Christmas.

Where I am, we don't have a Thanksgiving Day, nevertheless I'd like to chip in my 2 cents worth.

First cent: as a Christian, I deplore the way Christmas has been cancelled and replaced by Xmas. In extension, I am therefore irritated by all the hooraw and much ado by retailers big and small who put up Christmas trees, spray on artificial snow, hang out holly wreaths and send out platoons of Santa Claus, bombarding the natives with subliminal commands that "tis the season for giving". It's almost as insidious as Valentine's Day when anyone who could wrap a stalk of rose in a bit of paper and all florists come out of the woodwork to cash in on the "gotta-give-a-rose-to-everyone" phenomena. But Christmas is worse because it starts as early as one and a half months before and as "White Christmas" (Can you imagine the incongruity? My hot country has no snow) and "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" play over and over, everyone, no matter their religious leanings, some not even understanding the real meaning of Christmas, are compelled to buy buy buy so as to give everyone in their circle of family and friends.

Because we do not have a Thanksgiving Day, the early over-commercialization of Christmas does not encroach on it, nevertheless, there are other festivals celebrated by other ethnic groups that do fall under the pale and are sometimes brushed aside in insignificance.

Second cent: Everyone would do well to put aside one day to list out all the things they are thankful for. My pastor encourages his congregation to write out a list of 100 things to give thanks for every year end before we even write out our resolution list. I think it's not the same as to sit around a table groaning with scrumptious goodies, share your thanksgiving item and then tuck into the feast.

A plea to all my readers: post your POV about this and let's link up and see how far we can take this. Stand up and say your piece. Thanks and God Bless you and yours.

Click on all these Links and Read Them Firsthand:
1. Suldog's Impassioned Plea 
2. Messy Mimi's Meaderings
3. The Fifty Factor
4. Seeking Sanity
5. Out Of The Lotus
6. =]V[=
7. Exile in Portales