Ah, it’s that time of year again. The leaves are falling, the weather is changing, jackets and fuzzy socks are dug out from the depths of closets. Halloween comes and goes and all the pumpkins, plastic tombstones, and spiderwebs move into the clearance section of Target. But wait...in the next aisle over...what’s this?

Are those…Candy canes? Ornaments? Christmas trees?

Okay, I may not be the smartest cookie in the cookie jar, but I'm pretty sure there's a holiday in between Halloween and Christmas. It seems that in recent years, our consumer culture has forgotten perhaps the most important holiday of all: Thanksgiving.

Christmas is a wonderful holiday; I get that. I'm not trying to be a Grinch and put a damper on your holiday cheer, but COME ON PEOPLE. Thanksgiving is just as fantastic, if not more.

First of all, how can you not love a holiday that is centered around food? And not just regular food; this is the most delicious, scrumptious, calorie-filled food there is. Turkey. Green bean casserole. Cranberry sauce. Stuffing. Pumpkin pie. And, the holy grail of comfort food: mashed potatoes and gravy. How can you not want to just stuff the entire bowl of white, fluffy, starchy goodness in your face?

Ah, food. Glorious food.

While food is a wonderful part of Thanksgiving, there’s another important component that makes the holiday so special, and that’s all of the family traditions. You all know what I’m talking about. Maybe it’s drawing a mustache on your weird uncle that falls asleep on the same spot on the couch every year. Maybe it’s playing poker with your grandparents. Maybe it’s breaking the turkey wishbone with your mom as you help her set the table and then making a wish when you get the bigger piece. Or maybe it’s getting down and dirty playing football with your cousins in the backyard. Whatever the tradition is, Thanksgiving is the perfect time to do them, and the possibility is always there to make new ones.

We can’t forget to mention the most important reason we celebrate this great holiday. While the amazing food and fun traditions are a big part of Thanksgiving, they’re not as important as giving thanks. This is the whole reason the holiday exists in the first place; heck, it’s even in the name! THANKSgiving is the time to take a good look around at all the things we are blessed with in our lives. It’s the time to remember all of the things that we take for granted every day and try to appreciate them more. It’s the time to be grateful for all of the wonderful people in our lives and tell them how much we love them.

Thanksgiving truly is the best holiday. Family, food, and fun times. What more could you ask for?

So sit back, grab a slice of pumpkin pie, and give thanks.