The Reasons for the Seasons - or Happy Holidays!

So I was out running errands yesterday, when I heard a small child ask his mother, “What is Thanksgiving?” I thought about this, and wondered, do my children know what Thanksgiving is all about? So I thought I would explain it, not only for my kids – but for all to enjoy!

Many, many years ago young hopeful families left Europe and boarded ships and bravely crossed the ocean to their new home in America. Upon reaching this “New World” the Pilgrims cleared the forest and began to raise bountiful crops. The joy must have been hard to contain for these young white families – this was everything they had hoped for – clean water, cool crisp clean air – the life they had dreamed of!!

And then the Indians came out of what was left of the forest and began to slaughter the young white families because they had made the mistake of building there homes and planting the crops on sacred Indian burial grounds. However the Indians couldn’t swing their tomahawks fast enough as wave after wave of these white men invaded the Indian land.

The Indians swung their arms mightily, but eventually they grew tired and finally dropped to the ground, exhausted and beaten. Resigned to their fate of sharing the land with their new “white trash” neighbors, the Indians and the white man sat down to a roasted turkey dinner one November day – according to the white mans calendar – and gave thanks for their new-found friendship. The Pilgrims were understandably a bit more thankful for this friendship then the Indians.

This Thanksgiving celebration became a yearly event, and has evolved into the what it is today – a day when Americans cook stuffed turkeys and stuff themselves – and then sit back and watch the Detroit Lions get “stuffed” by some other football team!!

History is kinda funny that way, a cause for celebration that gets commercialized and people forget the real reason for the celebration. Lets take for example, Easter – it started as a Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus – a great cause for celebration! But now, it involves hiding eggs and a bunny?!?!?!? I wonder how that one started??

Wife to husband, “Dear, we need to teach our children about Easter!”

Husband – “How bout eggs?”

Wife – “What do eggs have to do with the resurrection?”

Husband – “Okay, we’ll hide ‘em!”

Wife – “What???”

Husband – “Don’t worry, there will be a bunny!”

Example #2, Christmas. This began as the day to celebrate the birth of Jesus – again, another great cause for celebration. Let’s explore just one area of Christmas that I still wonder what it has to do with the true meaning of the holiday – decorations!

Can you picture how this one first happened – the wife wakes up and walks down the stairs to find a pine tree in her living room!!

Wife to her probably drunk husband – “Dear, what is a pine tree doing in our living room!” (and if you think about it, bringing a cut down tree into the house does kinda sound like the actions of a drunk man).

Husband – “I like it!.......we’re gonna…..ummm decorate it………for Jesus”

“Then, I’m gonna take my socks off and hang them over the fire place! – you fill ‘em with candy”

“And lastly, I am going to hang some leaves on the ceiling……..hopefully get a lil action!”

“Merry Christmas!”

I think 2 examples are enough! You get my point. Now you might be saying, Jason you are a Scrooge – and I see how it might appear that way. I’m not – I love holidays! Most people don’t have to work, everyone acts nice, and you eat very well. I would like to figure out how an excuse to have more holidays!! Maybe we could celebrate the first day the baby Jesus learned to walk!! We could call it “Stepping Day” and celebrate it by eating Prime Rib!! Tthis is just an idea - and a mighty fine idea if I do say so myself!

The main reason for this post was to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you are enjoying yours!!!