Articles
Thanksgiving is about Remembering
Chris Kittrell
11.27.2025
11.27.2025
I’ve always loved Thanksgiving! Anyone who knows me has heard my argument for Thanksgiving being the unofficial champion of holidays. Thanksgiving may not have the glitz, sparkle, or radio jingles that Christmas rolls out like a marching band, but maybe that’s exactly why it’s quietly perfect. Christmas shows up in full pageantry, wrapped in lights and expectations. Thanksgiving, on the other hand, walks in wearing a sweater, carrying a pie, and saying, “Let’s just slow down for a minute.”
And really, isn’t that what we all want? A holiday without the pressure of picking the perfect gift, or remembering where you hid the presents, or untangling lights that magically tie themselves into knots every year. Thanksgiving asks for none of that. All it wants is your presence, your real presence—around a table, around your people, around the blessings that show up in everyday clothes.
But beneath my not-so-subtle humor lies something deeper: Thanksgiving is a holiday built on remembering. Remembering who has walked beside us this year. Remembering the hard things we survived and the surprising joys we didn’t see coming. Remembering the loved ones who shaped our lives, whether they’re still sitting at the table or who we now hold in our hearts.
Thanksgiving wraps all of that—our gratitude, our griefs, our growth—into one simple invitation: pause and give thanks. It doesn’t need ornaments or carols or a countdown. It’s quieter, but somehow richer. It gathers us, steadies us, recenters us. It reminds us that the most meaningful gifts aren’t wrapped; they’re lived, felt, and shared.
So yes, Christmas is magical. But Thanksgiving? Thanksgiving is sacred in its simplicity. It opens our eyes to the goodness around us, the beauty in our relationships, and the grace woven into our stories.
May this Thanksgiving bring you warmth, reflection, and a deep sense of gratitude for the people and moments that make life truly abundant.
Chris Kittrell is Principal and Co-Founder of Rather & Kittrell.