As department stores and shopping centers across the country begin to put up Christmas decorations aggressively early, we can’t help but be reminded that Thanksgiving is near. The holiday season is upon us, so break out your Spanx, comfy sweaters, and holiday jollity. Many see Thanksgiving as a precursor to the Christmas season, as though it is a temporal marker of when it’s seasonally appropriate to listen to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” on repeat. But sometimes, in the hustle and bustle of the thousands of family members, a break from schoolwork (also known as Netflix binging), and truly disgusting amounts of food, we forget what exactly it is Thanksgiving is all about—and it’s right there in the name.

Thanksgiving is about saying thank you. And not just to the man who sells you the enormous turkey that you and your 27 cousins will devour on Thursday, but rather for all that you have in life that goes by unnoticed and unappreciated. Sure, many give thanks around the dinner table for all that they have, but in the haste of everyday life, the smallest components of life that make our vitality so worthwhile are forgotten.

This holiday season, challenge yourself to express gratitude for that which you fail to honor on a regular basis. The importance of this idea rests in the fact that so many people don’t even have what we forget to appreciate. The world is full of people who live in such poverty and destitution, and yet the things we consider so normal—a hot meal, a warm coat, a pillow beneath our heads—would elicit nothing but gratitude and love from those who are unable to have it. On Thanksgiving, don’t just gorge yourself on mashed potatoes and green bean casserole. Step back and say thanks for all the small stuff that makes life so wonderful:

Pets

Though it’s hard to ignore their furry, cuddly physical presence, we often fail to realize all that pets to do to make life bearable. When we kick them out of the kitchen or shove them off the couch, they come back with just as much love as before we transgressed against their sweet, innocent selves. They never fail to greet you at the front door with the utmost enthusiasm, no matter how long you’ve been gone. I have a black lab named Daisy. She’s 12 years old and getting gray around the muzzle, but in those 12 years, never once has she snapped or snarled at anyone or failed to offer a kiss to the little kid who asks to pet her. So often I forget to be grateful for her early morning greetings as she leaps onto my bed despite her arthritic joints to shower me with kisses and urge me to get up and start my day (and feed her), but Daisy is a gift to my family because of her relentless love and affection for all of us and the joy she brings to our house.

Beds

There are few better feelings than crawling into bed at the end of a long day, making yourself a burrito of sheets, and falling into a deep, heavenly sleep, cushioned by your five-star mattress and a sea of pillows. To most of us, however, there’s no special acknowledgement for the action of getting in bed, yet it means so much in the grand scheme of things. Getting a good night’s rest sets you up for success the following day, and you wouldn’t be able to sleep were it not for your bed. Often, I come home from a marathon study session in the library in the wee hours of the morning and crawl into bed without giving it a second thought. But there are a lot of people out there who don’t get the luxury of even a mattress, let alone clean sheets and a warm blanket. Getting into bed is such a simple pleasure, but it’s important take a second to give thanks that you’re lucky enough to take part in such a pleasure.

Beaches

I grew up in Maine, where I was never more then ten miles from the coast at any given point in time. Summertime meant the most wonderful of sea breezes that brought a salty tang to the air and a crisp feel from the chilly Atlantic waters. July days were spent on the beach, sweltering under the blazing sun as my sister and I danced in the waves and felt the sand sneak through our toes. The ocean is absolutely magical, with all its mystery and the constant flurry of movement beneath the surface. Sure, the ocean makes a nice backdrop for Instagram pictures and we often admire its beauty from afar, but take the next chance you can to throw yourself into its foam-peaked waters and appreciate all the joy and wonderment that it has to offer to your spirit.

Babies

They eat, they sleep, and they don’t do much else, but babies are amazing little creatures. Babies adapt to their worlds at an impressive rate, and they retain so much information in such a short amount of time. We often admire their parents for doing such a great job raising them, but babies in and of themselves are pretty spectacular beings. A baby’s giggle sounds like the tinkling of bells, and few things bring more joy than a squeal from a baby when they’re happy. Their fat little hands and dimpled wrists reach out with such curiosity and awe that cannot be matched by anyone of a less impressionable age. But my favorite part of babies, and the part that I am most thankful for, is the sweet scent at the very top of their head when you bury your head in their peach fuzz hair for a kiss. We should be grateful to babies not only for the new life and excitement they bring to the lives of all, but for their relentless zest for life.

Memories

This holiday season, we must remember to be thankful. But how could we recall our gratitude were it not for the happy memories that rest only within our minds? Memories are so special to each and everyone one of us. They’re what inspire us everyday to be the best person we can be and how to live with the utmost vivacity possible. They teach us to learn from our mistakes and be a better person than we were the day before. Memories are most important to appreciate most of all, because they give us peace and hope in times of great trial. They help us remember what exactly it is that sustains us and keep us going, no matter what tribulations may come our way. Remember, in the haste of the holiday season, to remember all that you have in your world that makes life so beautiful.