The Lost Holiday

The Lost Holiday

By Sandra Sylvester

Christmas poems abound in newspapers, children’s books, and pageants.

Christmas tales are told again and again

Through words and music and TV networks.

…but wait just a communications minute

What happened to THANKSGIVING!

Maybe it’s the time of year that interferes

We count our blessings as we sit down to eat.

But when we get up from our feast … HO HO HO

It’s Christmas already.

I doubt if our Pilgrim fathers were thinking

Of what to get Auntie Sue for Christmas

As they struggled to put food on their tables

And wrapped furs around themselves to keep warm.

Today we are wrapped up in ourselves.

The turkey soup and sandwiches don’t

Last long enough.

As we scurry from one party to another.

As we run from one store to the next.

The Thanksgiving table can’t get cleared soon enough

So that we can decorate for Christmas.

Thanksgiving blessings forgotten

We rush to make December 25 perfect

For our families and our friends.

What would happen if say

There was one less present under the tree

And we gave it to someone in need instead?

Can we pause just a second or two

To thank our founding fathers

For making it possible

To have holidays at all?

Think about those Indians long ago

Who didn’t necessarily want us around.

We gave them a lot to grieve about.

Including measles, chicken pox and the flu.

Pray for their ancestors who tell a different tale.

Keep them in your hearts as you celebrate

THANKSGIVING!