Everyone likes to remind each other about the "reason for the season" around the end of November and beginning of December. When people do this, they are generally reminding each other that the "spirit" of Christmas should be about giving and loving one another rather than greed and selfishness. Have you ever wondered why no one talks about the "reason for the season" leading up to Thanksgiving?

I can tell you why: Thanksgiving is a holiday that Americans are taught about from a young age, that is supposed to celebrate unity between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans. It is also a designated day during the year when everyone is supposed to be nice to all of their family members. The sad reality is that Native Americans and European colonists did not get along as well as the pictures that you colored in first grade would lead you to believe.

The "first" Thanksgiving as we commonly remember it is based in historical fact, but it wasn't all sunshine and cross-cultural unity. The only reason that the colonists were even able to communicate with the Native Americans is that they had native interpreters who spoke English because they had previously been enslaved in Europe.

Also, the food is never good. Can someone explain to me why all Thanksgiving food has to be the same color? You can go through the line and end up with a plate of turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, some kind of casserole, and some weird cauliflower thing that your cousin made, and your plate will just be one big pile of beige.

I'm not saying that you can't enjoy Thanksgiving. In fact, I think that it can be a great time to see family that you don't usually get to. If you want to get together with your family or friends and eat a bunch of food one day out of the year, feel free, but try to remember what the holiday truly represents and maybe spice up the buffet a little.