It's October 31...Halloween...on a Monday.

So, basically, the Holiday festivities are coming to a close.

At midnight tonight, it will be November 1st. To many, this marks the beginning of the Christmas season. Every department store will stock their shelves with ornaments and the area once taken up by Halloween blow-up decorations will be replaced with plastic Christmas trees and mechanical reindeer. Malls will begin to set up the hanging decorations from the ceilings and the Santa picture-taking station is set up within the month.

Don't get me wrong. I love Christmas and am not the Grinch I sound like right now. December for me means singing in Christmas concerts, Secret Santa, and spending more time with my family and friends. But, there's one holiday that I feel doesn't get enough attention, the underrated holiday that just so happens to be my favorite.

Thanksgiving, the middle child in the holiday family that somehow always gets gipped. Black Friday has traditionally been the day after Thanksgiving, but some stores open their sales even earlier now, on Thanksgiving itself. And yes, I know this holiday can be uncomfortable to most. There's always that one Uncle who asks what your political views are and this year especially, that's the hot topic. But every year, I watch Halloween turn into Christmas, and that bothers me.

Why, you ask? Because, while Christmas is great, we need to recognize Thanksgiving and appreciate it for everything it is, a time to give thanks.

Thanksgiving for me holds many great memories, mostly consisting of spending time with my Mom's family every year eating the traditional thanksgiving dinner of turkey, mashed potatoes, squash, cranberry sauce, and stuffing. My Uncle Paul always prepares the best turkey, and while the dinner is cooking, my cousins and I play ping pong, play football outside, or watch football if a team we're interested in seeing is playing.

This day gives us an excuse to spend quality time with one another, and reminds us of everything we should be thankful for. I am thankful for my family that loves and supports me, and for the food we share together on that day. On this day, it isn't about thanking family members for the gifts they gave me, but simply thanking family members for spending time with me. For me, this is far more important. Thanksgiving also holds many traditions in my family. For years, until I got out of shape, my mom and I would run a five mile race together every Thanksgiving morning, no matter how cold it was. This crazy tradition also reminded me that I was lucky to have my mom to do this with me.

Thanksgiving is a time of giving thanks. In every school that I've attended, there is an annual collection of food to give to families who can't afford to have a thanksgiving dinner. As a school community, we work as a team to make this happen for local families, and together, we learn a very important lesson. By donating a can of corn, or maybe giving a few dollars to go towards buying a turkey, you are making a difference in someone's life.

This is what this holiday is all about. To be thankful for what you have, and to help others around you live a better life. Thanksgiving is about family, friends, and even helping strangers have a better day.

So, if you're someone who puts up your Christmas tree on November 1st, or starts playing Christmas music right about now, that's great. Christmas is an enjoyable time of the year and it's awesome to get into the holiday spirit, but just remember that Thanksgiving comes first.

So, make sure to be thankful for what you have, and spend time with your loved ones. Because, in life, that's what really matters.