Question for those who live in the USA

[Christmasstar]

I had someone tell me that in the States Thanksgiving is more important and bigger in celebration than Christmas. I did not think this to be true, but they where insistent that a very reliable source (their daughter) told them this and it was true.
So I thought I would ask those of you who live there, is thanksgiving more important than Christmas in the States?

[rockchild]

Not really, I think its a matter of personal opinion. Perhaps their family prefers Thanksgiving.

However on Thanksgiving (before/after it) many of the Christmas lights and decorations are out here in California.

Again I think its personal opinion to say Thanksgiving is bigger. It also depends on family, often people have vacation and travel.

Christmas is bigger for us as well as Halloween for my family. We put up our lights and tree on Thanksgiving, so I guess you could say we sort of incorporate Christmas into Thanksgiving. Christmas tends to be bigger in sales however. We have Christmas decorations out in stores up to two WEEKS before Halloween! Seriously - day before Halloween - hardly any Halloween stuff out but two isles of Christmas stuff in almost every store I went to.

[Jeff Westover]

Define "bigger" and more "important".

In my world, yes, Thanksgiving just as big as Christmas. The world stops for it.

Now, if you're measuring in terms of build-up, money spent, etc -- nothing beats Christmas.

[rockchild]

Define "bigger" and more "important".

In my world, yes, Thanksgiving just as big as Christmas. The world stops for it.

Now, if you're measuring in terms of build-up, money spent, etc -- nothing beats Christmas.


Yes, exactly. Jeff has it correct. Thanksgiving is just as big as Christmas for my family. We put up our lights on Thanksgiving now as a 14 year tradition and we put the tree up as well going on 5 or 6 years now.

He is correct about build up, money spent etc.

[gabulldawg]

For me thanksgiving is the one time me and my whole family of siblings and parents get together. So in that respect for us it is bigger. At Christmas I usually spend it with part of my family.but my brothers and sisters sometimes spend it with thier in laws and such. I am lucky to usually get off the friday after too so for me thanksgiving is the time to officially kick off the holiday season. Call me crazy but I actually enjoy flying out to oregon where my parents live the day before thanksgiving. Its like a tradition and so far I have been lucky and never had any missed flights or delays.so yes for me thanksgiving is just as big as Christmas.

[caninemom3]

For me, Christmas is the more important and bigger of the two, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thanksgiving for me is the start of the build up to THE SEASON !!!! I love Thanksgiving and I love the Macy parade which I watch as I decorate my tree !!! Thanksgiving for me is the time to be really reflective and thankful for all that I have. Christmas is the time to remember who gave me all that I have and to celebrate His birthday so both are important but I feel Christmas is for me the more important of the two !!

:tree:

[gabulldawg]

Yes caninemom that is a great way of putting it and I feel the same!

[Christmas-A-Holic]

To me Thanksgiving feels like the first round of Christmas!

Some of the biggest Christmas celebrations take place over the Thanksgiving weekend since most people (not all) get a 4 day holiday Thursday-Sunday. Schools usually get a 5 day holiday Wednesday-Sunday or a whole week off. (our school district changes time off each year). A lot of towns do their Christmas Tree lighting celebration over that weekend too.

I feel like we get to celebrate Christmas twice in the United States because of the way Thanksgiving is here.

[ballcoach]

For me, Christmas is more important, but both are huge. Like Jeff, my world stops for both. Christmas would be 1a and Thanksgiving is 1b. The fact that Christmas is a celebration of Christ makes it more important.

[xmas365]

For me Christmas is a bigger deal, but I think (IMO) Thanksgiving is more of a bigger family holiday, with it being the busiest travel days of the year around Thanksgiving, I think more people "go home" for Thanksgiving and stay with their immediate family at Christmas

[RadioJonD]

Since Thanksgiving in the U.S. is so close to Christmas, perhaps more emphasis given to Thanksgiving than in Canada. Some of the responses have touched on this.

Due to the closeness of the two holidays in the U.S. families have the added ability to plan and schedule. This comes into play more when family members are scattered over long distances.

Often, in the case of spending time with two sets of families, couples will alternate Thanksgiving with Christmas between the two. In other words, one Thanksgiving is spent with one side, Christmas with the other. The following year the two family occasions are reversed. Families will likely incorporate Christmas with Thanksgiving in this case. This is especially true with blended families.

Like others have stated, whether Thanksgiving is as important as Christmas depends on the family. I am interested to learn about the daughter in your case, Christmasstar. I would wager that her reasoning is based on a situation involving blended and/or two sets of family get togethers and traditions.

In the case of my own family with two married children and grandkids, I have to tell you that any occasion when we are all together is just as special as any no matter the date on the calendar. We all live within thirty miles of each other and we try to eat together at least once a month. We just eat better (more?) and have a little more time to spend together around the holidays!

[George Broderick, Jr.]

Thanksgiving has always been MY favorite holiday... being about a week after my birthday... but, when you think about it, Thanksgiving is a day to observe and give thanks for all God's blessings... and Jesus was God's GREATEST blessing... so, essentially, Christmas IS Thanksgiving...

[whitney37354]

We have the same family routine for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. The only difference is we put up the Christmas tree on Thanksgiving and open the gifts under the tree on Christmas. IMO, Thanksgiving is just the kick-off to Christmas for a lot of people.

I try to buy and wrap most of my Christmas gifts before Thanksgiving so I can enjoy both holidays without the stress of finding gifts for everyone. The entire season is what you make it.

[reindeerelf]

No way. Thanksgiving marks the start of the traditional Christmas Season. However my father in law preferred Thanksgiving because all he had to do was enjoy a great meal with family and not worry about shopping for presents but I believe he was in the minority. He was a great guy but a bit lazy in some respects.

[made582]

I would say that Christmas is the bigger holiday. Everything here closes for Christmas expect a few drug stores. There is a growing list of stores that are open on Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving tends to be a more relaxed holiday though for my family. We all gather around the kitchen and cook while watching the parade. Where on Christmas day it can be a bit rushed trying to get through everyone opening their presents so we can start lunch and have it ready before my sisters in laws come over.

[Christmasstar]

thank you, love the responses to this.

Many families here will also split family celebrations between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but Christmas is the bigger holiday here. We also have a lot more time between the two.

A lot of people here really look forward to watching your Macy's parade and consider it the kick off for the Christmas season. cheesy

[sugar142286]

I have to agree with everyone on here. I think it is just how your family see it. It is the first time my family really gets together and celebrates, so Thanksgiving is a big deal for me, but I still think Christmas is bigger.

[Courtney]

Anymore, I think that Thanksgiving has taken a backburner to Christmas over the last decade or so. It feels like everyone just wants to get it over with or forget about it all together and move on to Christmas. Heck, I rarely see commercials for Thanksgiving anymore, it just goes from Halloween to Christmas. I like celebrating Thanksgiving and I think it has great meaning, even if it trumped by the importance of Christmas.

[Snow-in-Texas]

I always felt like Thanksgiving is the beginning of the Holidays and Christmas is the end (all due respect to New Years). And because of this, for some, Thanksgiving is the favorite holiday, although Christmas is loved, it is also a bit of a let down because that is the end of it all. That is basically how my wife is, and me to a lesser extent.

[momnan30]

For me, Christmas is the more important and bigger of the two, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thanksgiving for me is the start of the build up to THE SEASON !!!! I love Thanksgiving and I love the Macy parade which I watch as I decorate my tree !!! Thanksgiving for me is the time to be really reflective and thankful for all that I have. Christmas is the time to remember who gave me all that I have and to celebrate His birthday so both are important but I feel Christmas is for me the more important of the two !!

:tree:
@caninemom3...you hit it on the head!

[YellowSnow]

Maybe that person who stated this meant that Thanksgiving involves more Americans that Christmas. Afterall, our Thanksgiving is an American holiday for ALL Americans. Christmas is not celebrated in it's full glory by all Americans because of different religious beliefs. So a Jewish, Islamic, etc family may not celebrate Christmas in the same way that Christians do; but, they probably do celebrate Thanksgiving if they are American.

jmho

YS

[Seawaters]

No!!! Poll the kids!!!

Cherylle in CA

I had someone tell me that in the States Thanksgiving is more important and bigger in celebration than Christmas. I did not think this to be true, but they where insistent that a very reliable source (their daughter) told them this and it was true.
So I thought I would ask those of you who live there, is thanksgiving more important than Christmas in the States?