Halloween is over and Christmas is next, right?
If you were to walk into any store right now, you would think that the next holiday we celebrate is Christmas. There are Christmas trees, lights and decorations in the stores. Radio stations are already playing nonstop Christmas music. Even the Hallmark Channel has started its Christmas movies.
However, there are several holidays in November that we celebrate that are put aside by the rush of Christmas. Like today, All Saints Day, which is dedicated to the saints of the church. On Nov. 2, we commemorate all the faithfully departed, otherwise known as the feast of All Souls.
Next week, we celebrate Veterans Day, which honors all who have served our country. At the end of the month, we celebrate Thanksgiving, giving thanks and gratitude for all the graces and blessings we have received.
These holidays are all very important and deserve our attention as well. It is sometimes so easy to forget these days because our society is always moving ahead. I know I have already starting thinking past Thanksgiving with preparations for the Courier’s upcoming multimedia Advent Calendar, choir rehearsals for Christmas Eve Midnight Mass and a family vacation over the holidays.
So as we begin this new month, my goal is to try to stay focused on the present, enjoy the month of November and the remaining days of fall, especially the fall weather. It won’t be easy with the reminders of what’s to come in the stores, but my hope is that when Advent and Christmas do arrive, I’ll appreciate these seasons just a bit more.
