In this column, I’ve dished out my fair share of “hot takes.” I’ve expressed my disdain for prairie poutine, shallow beaches, and the lack of weekend haircut options. But what I’m about to say next is the most shocking opinion by far. It makes everything else I’ve said seem tame. It’s not an opinion for the faint of heart. Are you ready? Are you sure? Alright, here it goes.
I don’t care much for Thanksgiving.
I’ll give you a second to put your monocles back in place.
Now, it’s not like I hate Thanksgiving. Who could hate a holiday where you get to stuff your face with (mostly) delicious food? It’s just that I’ve always found it a bit redundant.
Christmas is a mere two months away and it does everything Thanksgiving does, but even better. You get a massive dinner, time with loved ones and distant relatives, and presents. Plus, Christmas gets stretched out over several days, giving you plenty of time to gorge on all that food.
Also, there are far more classic Christmas movies than Thanksgiving ones. That’s just basic math.
I’ve always thought October should be solely dedicated to Halloween. It should be a month of scary movies and copious amounts of candy. Thanksgiving feels like a detour from the spooky festivities.
Again, as I said, I don’t hate Thanksgiving. I appreciate its place as a somewhat non-denominational holiday that everyone can enjoy. I know people use it to reconnect with loved ones. It serves a purpose. It’s just never been my all-time favourite holiday.
Thanksgiving was on my mind all week. I was working this weekend covering drag queen dinners and out-of-town pumpkin patches. I didn’t have a lot of time to reflect, but on Friday night, it hit me: This is my first Thanksgiving away from home.
I’ve spent my whole life in my home province of Nova Scotia. Wherever I was, whatever I was doing, I made time to go home for Thanksgiving. Even if I was only there for an afternoon, I made the trip. Thanksgiving might not mean much to me, but spending time with my family does.
But this year I couldn’t go home. I’m saving up for a trip over Christmas, so I stayed in Saskatchewan for Thanksgiving. It’s the first one I’ve ever missed.
I have a lot of friends from college and the world of journalism whose jobs have taken them around the world. Many of them miss big holidays for work. It can be tough to move out on your own. Nothing hammers in the sense of distance from your loved ones like missing a get-together. We’re doing jobs we love, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy.
That’s the power of Thanksgiving. It’s not the food, or the traditions, or the after dinner naps. It’s reconnecting with your family. It’s taking a moment to catch your breath. Even if you only speak over the phone, it’s important to talk. I hope you paused during Thanksgiving. It matters.
Oh, by the way, I thought of one more thing I don’t like about Thanksgiving: Turkey. Could we eat a less dry bird?
Alright, please don’t send me too much hate mail.
