It's Christmas everywhere.

In Target, on the radio, even Santa's face is on the Coca-Cola cans already.

And I can't take it anymore.

Did everyone forget that there's another holiday before Christmas? A pretty big one in fact. Are we just skipping over Thanksgiving this year?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a Grinch. The first snowfall makes me more excited than it probably should. I plan my favorite ABC 25 Days of Christmas movies into my school planner. I will challenge (and beat) anyone to a snow ballfight. I love Christmas just as much as the next Cindy Lou Who.

But I love Christmas during Christmas time.

Even though it doesn't have thousands of songs let alone one, Thanksgiving should still be celebrated with just as much enthusiasm. It's a holiday about eating food, for goodness sake!

Okay, that's not totally true.

Throughout the country I have family. From the east to the west coast my family is spread out, and the one time a year I get to see all of them together is Thanksgiving. We all get to sit around one big table and share stories, pictures, and laughs from the year. Sure we can keep somewhat up to date through Facebook, but that's not nearly as fun as watching my aunt make my dad laugh so hard that water comes out his nose. Or playing my great uncle in a backyard football game with the neighbors down the street.

And maybe that's why I get so upset about Christmas festivities starting so early. It conveys total disregard for a holiday that I love most. And this season of thankfulness is definitely not a season any of us should forget.

So, please, let's slow down. Let's enjoy the end of fall and the season of family and friends. Let's be thankful for each day that we have. Let's be thankful for the people that we share those days with. And then, come November 27 and only then, put up that Christmas tree.