The wonderful fall Holy Day season is now over, and we're back home remembering what a great Feast we just enjoyed, both physically and spiritually. Now the Christmas season is going full blast, with all ads geared toward Dec. 25.

In all this hullabaloo, a traditional holiday is forgotten. Whatever happened to Thanksgiving? "Thanksgiving" is "the act of giving thanks; grateful acknowledgment of benefits or favors, especially to God; a public celebration in acknowledgment of divine favor; a day set aside for giving thanks to God" (American Collegiate Dictionary).

The United States has been celebrating this holiday as far back as 1621 starting with the Pilgrims. President Abraham Lincoln thought it important enough to make it a national holiday in 1863. He set aside one day a year to honor God and thank Him for the rich blessings He had poured out on this nation. His Thanksgiving Proclamation dated Oct. 3, 1863, states in part:

"The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added... I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States and those who are in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens."

The Bible is full of scriptures regarding giving thanks. There are 28 scriptures on "thanksgiving" and 73 on "thanks" (31 in Psalms alone). Altogether on this subject there are at least 139 scriptures. It's easy to see that God wants us to be thankful.

Most people plan a family get-together on this day. It's the big "turkey day," with all the trimmings and the emphasis is on feasting. Thankfully, this day has not become too commercialized; after all, people don't buy gifts, new clothes or other items for this holiday. Unfortunately, they also tend not to remember what this day stands for. If a prayer of thanksgiving is said, it usually is short and seems to be an afterthought.

This is one holiday every year we can enjoy with our family and friends and those who don't share the Holy Days with us. We should always be thankful for our blessings, and this is an opportunity to share our thankfulness with others. Open up your homes, share your abundant blessings and generosity with those near and dear to you.

Start some new family traditions on this day. Ask each person, including the children, to share what he or she is thankful for this year. Oh, yes, make sure there is a prayer of "thanksgiving" to our Creator God for His richness toward us each and every day of our lives. "Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving" (Psalm 95:2). "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations" (Psalm 100:4-5).