Can you smell the turkey yet? The mashed potatoes and gravy? Can you taste the buttery rolls, the rich stuffing or the delicious pumpkin pie?

I can. In exactly five days, Thanksgiving break will be upon us. In exactly seven days, the actual holiday will be celebrated. And just so no one is confused, this means it’s STILL NOVEMBER.

It seems that as the years progress, people seem to skip right over Thanksgiving. Christmas music and decorations come out the day after Halloween.

I’m beginning to think that people will soon forget Thanksgiving. Soon, Thanksgiving and Christmas will become one holiday: Thanksmas.

This is not okay. Thanksgiving is not only an excuse to completely stuff your face, watch football and see your family, but also a very important day in America’s history. And I think most people don’t realize this.

Every holiday that is celebrated in America has a reason behind it. Easter – Jesus rose from the dead. Christmas – Jesus is born. Martin Luther King Day – in honor of Martin Luther King himself. July Fourth – celebrating our freedom.

Thanksgiving is an entire day devoted to being thankful. It was originally created by the pilgrims, who had a whole day of feasting as giving thanks to the Indians and for being in America. George Washington even declared thanksgiving “as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favours of Almighty God.”

This November holiday is meant to be spent with family, being thankful for everything you have. No gifts are given on this holiday in order to be grateful for the things that are already in your life. This is by no means a materialistic holiday; I’m not saying Christmas or any another gift-giving holiday is, but those days can sometimes make people selfish.

I understand being excited about Christmas – it’s my favorite holiday. But I don’t believe in skipping over an equally important holiday. Christmas music should be held off until after Thanksgiving; commercials shouldn’t air until December; and Thanksgiving decorations should be put up after Halloween.

What happened to making hand turkeys, and cornucopias? What about Thanksgiving plays? And do children still give presentations on what they are thankful for?

My fear is that future generations won’t understand the greatness of Thanksgiving. Sure, there are other holidays that may be better, but Thanksgiving still has its moments. Maybe start a tradition, if you don’t already have one, at your Thanksgiving celebration to say one thing you’re thankful for.

So take down your Santa Clauses and garland, put the Christmas Pandora station on hold and remember all that you are grateful for. Here’s a start to your list: your parents, your family, your freedom, the wonderful University you attend…

And an even better perspective: be thankful for clothes that don’t fit because it means you’re growing and well-fed; be thankful for having class across campus because it means you can walk; be thankful for those who sing a little too loud in the shower because it means you can hear; be thankful for the wind because it means you can feel; and be thankful for your early alarm because it means you’re alive.

No matter what you think, there is always, always, always something to be grateful for. So stopping hoping for the next holiday and enjoy the present.