Grateful for Christmas Part 2

I doubt that I'm only speaking for myself when I say that being excited about Christmas does not mean I don't give Thanksgiving its due diligence. On the contrary, every day I am grateful to be a citizen of a nation where I can choose how, when, and what I want to worship and celebrate. Every day I pour out prayers of gratitude to my Heavenly Father for blessings, seen and unseen, which He has granted me. The main thing that sets Thanksgiving apart is that I get to gather with extended family and eat amazing food, and I'm extra grateful for that opportunity.

The point I'm trying to make is that, besides the tradition of buying tons of food to stuff our faces with, Thanksgiving is probably the least-commercialized major holiday we celebrate in America, and I like it that way. Maybe it's because pumpkins aren't exactly holiday-specific and cornucopias are weird, but it's hard to have a pop-culture Thanksgiving.

At least for me, Thanksgiving is kind of a personal holiday. Sure, I celebrate it with my family, but in reality, it's a holiday which can only truly be observed in my heart. No matter how many "I'm thankful for . . . " lists I write, no matter how many times we go around the table at the family meal, and no matter how many handprint turkeys I make, I can never truly express my gratitude for my blessings in words. The only genuine celebration of Thanksgiving is a reverent recognition of my God, His works, and His gifts to me.

And you know what? That's all the more reason I'm excited to celebrate Christmas! All of my blessings are mine to claim because of Christ. Without Him, I would not have any joy. I would not have hope. I may not even have good relationships with family or friends. I wouldn't have the gospel. And--here's the real kicker--I wouldn't have this world to live on, or this country to live in, or holidays to celebrate, or any of the necessities and superfluities that abound in my life, without His creations, His gospel, and our Father's willingness to send Him to teach us, to love us, and to sacrifice Himself for us. I hope and pray that no matter the season, I can have a spirit of gratitude in my heart at all times, that I carry my faith in Christ with me, that I rejoice for His life every day.

I am thankful that I have faith in Christ and that I can celebrate Him anytime.