To me, there are three major holidays that mean I get to spend time with my family. The first is Easter, which is usually spent with my mom's family. Second is Christmas, which we switch every year who we spend it with. Last, Thanksgiving, which we alternate who we visit with the people we visit at Christmas (I hope that makes sense).

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year. Sure, I hate that it's cold and can either rain or snow, but that's not the point of the season. The point is to realize what you have and be thankful for everything around you.

One of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving, like most other people, is the food! Whether my family is having the traditional turkey, mash potatoes, green beans, corn bread, etc. or if we are having many Irish potato dishes and Italian lasagna, sausages and meatballs, there is always great food to be eaten. Then there is dessert. At my mom's family, there is always Italian pastries (yay for tiramisu!). There is also pie, cookies, and basically every other dessert that anyone can make! At my dad's family, there is always apple pie. And it is awesome! Food is probably my favorite thing, and Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays to get great food!

Thanksgiving is also a great time to spend with family! This is family that I only get to see a couple times a year, and in some cases only once a year or once every couple of years. Being able to see them in person, to hug them, talk to them, and just hang out is something that I cherish around the holiday season. It's time to play with my younger cousins on my mom's side and listen to my aunt's sing on my dad's side. It's time to relax and enjoy the company of people that I hardly get to see, but I know are always there for me. Thanksgiving is always a reminder to be thankful for those I am lucky enough to call family, because I could not have asked for a better one. Thanksgiving also means spending time at home with my parents and my brother. I haven't seen my parents in a couple of weeks, and I hadn't seen my brother since late August, when we dropped him off at school. Being able to spend an entire week at home was such a gift, and I am grateful for the time I got to spend with my immediate and extended family.

For me, Thanksgiving is about family, friends, and food. But it also marks the beginning to one of my favorite times of year: CHRISTMAS!!!