Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays (and how can you not love a holiday that revolves around food). It's full of fun, cooking, family, and lots of pumpkin flavor. There are also a few other parts of the holiday that aren't given as much thought as they deserve. The time leading up to the big day can be just as fun as the holiday itself.

1) The Days Leading Up To The Break And The Dreams Of Turkey And Stuffing

The time leading up to Thanksgiving is often spent on Pinterest looking up new recipes to show your parents for this year's feast or for foods to try at your own "friends-giving." Who is better to test out that new dip recipe on than your friends? They'll give pretty much anything a try when there's food involved.

2) Packing All Of Your Stretchy Clothes For When You're Home

One of the best parts of Thanksgiving is breaking out all of your stretchiest jeans and loosest sweaters in anticipation of the huge amount of food that you're going to be consuming on the big day. Plus, you have to be prepared for the days after when you will still be eating large amounts of food in the form of delicious leftovers.

3)The Grocery Store Trip From You-Know-Where

Just like He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, any trip to the grocery store before Thanksgiving is one that strikes fear into the hearts of all of us. When there's three people fighting for the last can of cranberry sauce and you have to travel to three different stores just to get green beans then you know that the season is upon us.

4) Your House Is Covered In A Combination Of Fall And Christmas Decorations

Just like that awkward time between fall and winter when you don't know whether to wear a tank top or your ski jacket, your house is also experiencing this transition. Christmas lights and sparkly pumpkins create an interesting, but aesthetically pleasing, combination.

5)The Beginning Of The Cooking

There's nothing more hectic than trying to make three casseroles, a pie, and an entire turkey at the same time, but that's pretty much Thanksgiving's aesthetic. Although a little crazy, the smells in the house cannot be beat.

6) The Morning Of

One of the most exciting parts of Thanksgiving day is the annual parade. I love crawling out of bed and watching the parade every morning with my family, being bedazzled by some of the performances in the freezing cold, and also judging who the worst lip-sync-er was for this year.

7) The Dog Show That We All Shamelessly Watch Afterward

Once the parade ends there's always so much to do to get ready before company comes over, but somehow the TV mysteriously gets left on and we're all entranced by the adorable fluffy dogs prancing around an arena. The appeal doesn't really make sense because none of us understand how they're being judged or exactly why, but they are all pretty adorable.

8) The Company Arriving And The Appetizers Being Served

It seems silly to have appetizers before you're about to eat a gigantic meal and yet, somehow, there are always so many yummy dips, cheeses, and foreign meats being served that you just have to try one or twenty before we all sit down for the big meal.

9) The Big Dinner

Nothing is more wonderful than sitting down to a table full of family and friends who are laughing and eating wonderful food. Often the dishes are things that are served every year and, along with the tradition of being together, you can always guess which uncle is going to have three servings of the mashed sweet potatoes. It's so nice to sit down without the distractions of the world and just enjoy the company of other people for a while.

10) The Dessert

There is so much food and it all looks so amazing that, for just a short period of time, you forget that your stomach is already stretched and dig into all the apple pies, pumpkin pies, brownies, cookies, and secret family recipes guilt free.

11) The Food Coma

Arguably the best part of Thanksgiving is when everyone sits around the fireplace and lets the food carry us off to sleepy relaxation. Christmas music can now be played without any nay-saying and the spirit of the holiday season is in full swing. Plus, you started it off right by spending it with the people who you care about the most.