As a kid most of us learned all about thanksgiving, the pilgrims being helped by the Indians and giving thanks with a huge meal. I know that is a very basic description but I think it is pretty much right.

So ever since then families have got together the last Thursday in November and eaten a big meal, then the men fall asleep in front of the TV while the kids run riot (ok maybe that is just my house). The meal was always meant to be about thanks not about eating so much turkey that you sleep for a week.

Over the last five years I have also noticed that more people are spending less time talking to each other and more time looking through the day after thanksgiving sale adverts that arrive with the newspapers. We all lead busy lives, most families have at least one member who doesn’t live locally so when the chance to get together comes around we should cherish every moment.

As we move more and more towards a consumer society, where everyones success  is measured by the amount of stuff they have rather than who they are and what they do for others, are we forgetting what it means to be Americans?

If Thanksgiving becomes more about shopping for new dining room chairs and less about enjoying the time we spend at the dining table with our siblings, parents and friends what does that say about us as a nation?

One way to deal with this issue would be to invite people round for a pre thanksgiving dinner, by doing it the night before there are no adverts to look through. Even if you do a pot luck meal, where everyone brings something, you are bringing people together.

Getting together and giving thanks is what the holiday is about, not how cheap you can get a big screen TV.