I didn’t always start the Christmas season before Thanksgiving, my freshman year of college I started celebrating before Halloween.

I’m one of those people that loves Christmas. I love almost everything about it except the packed stores and insane traffic. I was a “professional” gift wrapper in college- no seriously that was my actual job, I can’t count the thousands of presents I wrapped during my time at the BYU bookstore.

I love the Christmas season, the shared sense of purpose, the anticipation of something exciting to come, the traditions, the food, and the opportunity to spend time with family and friends reminiscing about the previous year.

I like the lead up to Christmas significantly more than Christmas Day, so starting the season early is a no brainer. 

I listen to Christmas music in July, start looking up cookie recipes in September, and begin putting up decorations as soon as Trick or Treating is over.

Several peoples have told me that  my love of Christmas is stifling Thanksgiving, and while my response is actually “I’m so sorry!” what I actually wanted to say was “bummer for you”.

But really let’s chat about that.

I don’t think Angels We Have Heard on High, candy canes, and Santa take away from the Thanksgiving spirit and here’s why.

I love love love Christmas, but I also love Thanksgiving.

I love that Thanksgiving is a universal American holiday (well mostly).

Regardless of your religious affiliation, martial status, age, gender, or ethnicity, taking time to acknowledge the good in your life has universal appeal.

It is ok to wish neighbors, store clerks, and random people on the street a Happy Thanksgiving, and those well wishes are warmly received. There’s not a politically correct way to approach Thanksgiving- it is  just a great day.

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the good in your life, as Josh Groban says  “there’s always something to be thankful for”.

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without setting aside this day in November to celebrate the good- the good that doesn’t come from the store, the good that goes beyond the shopping and wrapping. This one day is set aside to celebrate love, hope, and family- without this one day I would still love Christmas, but it would be like loving a  “lite” version of Christmas- good, but unsatisfying.

Thanksgiving is the butter and cream to the holiday season, sure you can make a delicious meal without those ingredients, but they take it a step further, they take pie from ok to 100% worth the calories.

And that is what Thanksgiving is to me. It’s the fresh whipped cream on the pumpkin pie- the extra topping that makes Christmas that much better.

This month I am fully embracing everything Thanksgiving and Christmas have to offer. My Christmas tree is up and the stockings are hung, but we’re also counting our many blessings as a family.  I’m not going to feel guilty for grouping the two holidays together, because who doesn’t need a little bit of whipped cream in their life.