Now that Halloween is over, it’s time to gear up for the best holiday of the “-ber” months. Can I get a “gobble gobble?”

While Halloween and Christmas are tied for my number one holiday, I will always champion for “Turkey Day.”

Here are six reasons why Thanksgiving is the best of all the holidays.

It’s Low Key

There’s not much to prepare for. Most people attend Thanksgiving dinner, whether it’s at a family member’s house or maybe you take part in “Friendsgiving.”

If you are the host, then you are kind of busy. You plan the meal and are busy cooking most of the day.

However, if you are just an attendee, you show up, reminisce, laugh, watch the parade, watch football, eat and then go home.

Basically, when I think of Thanksgiving, I think of a massive family hang out session.

Also, there aren’t any added celebrations or parties to attend in the weeks leading up to the actual holiday like there are for Christmas. Company Christmas party anyone?

It’s Low Cost

Thanksgiving is one of the cheapest holidays out there.

According to the American Farm Bureau, in 2019 the average cost of preparing a Thanksgiving meal for a group of 10 was $48.91. That’s less than $5 per person and you get leftovers.

No gifts mean no spending money on Mom, Dad, little brother or Aunt Sally and Uncle Rick. It’s less pressure and more money in my pocket.

Also, you generally don’t have to dress up. Having two kids, clothes are incredibly expensive without having to worry about adding special fancy clothes to the mix more than twice a year. Getting special Easter and Christmas outfits can get expensive.

Thankfully, for Turkey Day, it’s comfy pants and a nice-looking shirt for everyone. Bonus points if it is a Thanksgiving themed shirt.

There’s So Much Good Food 

In a more traditional type dinner, turkey is generally the main course, but the real stars of the show are all the delicious side dishes.

Mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, candied yams, green bean casseroles and cranberry sauce give a little bit of something for everyone to choose from.

That’s just the main course. Dessert is when the pie comes out. Pumpkin pie, apple pie, chocolate cream pie and so many others.

It’s All About the Alcohol (or Sparkling Apple Cider) 

My family doesn’t really drink. So, instead of wine or fun cocktails, we always had Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple Cider on hand for the big feast.

When I was about 10 or so, we were all sitting around the table devouring our delicious turkey, when my mom suddenly said to my aunt, “Do you remember wine flips? We should do that next year!”

The next Thanksgiving, our table had something new on it: alcohol. Mom mixed red wine and 7up in some wine glasses and gave a glass to everyone who wanted one, me included. It was the first time I tasted wine.

Lots of holidays have alcohol, so what makes Thanksgiving different is it’s perfectly acceptable to day-drink since dinner is usually more of a late lunch.

It Could Also be Called National Nap Day

It is almost expected of you to take a nap on Thanksgiving. The running joke in my family is who will be first to crawl under the table and fall asleep.

Turkey has the amino acid L-tryptophan which turns into serotonin and melatonin, the happy and sleepy hormones, according to Healthline.com.

Of course, the post-dinner sleepiness can also be attributed to overeating and the alcohol too. 

It’s a Four-Day Weekend

Not everyone gets the day after Thanksgiving off. But a lot of workers do, and schools and colleges are generally closed for the whole weekend.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, as of March 2018, 43% of civilian workers received the day after Thanksgiving as a paid holiday, with 39% of private industry workers and 69% of state and local government workers receiving the day after Thanksgiving as a paid holiday.

What better way to spend a four-day weekend with your family and/or friends, eating good food, making memories to talk about next year and just having a relaxing time? 

Bonus: It’s the Unofficial “Official” Kick-off to the Winter Holiday Season

While many people use the day after Thanksgiving to take advantage of sweet Black Friday deals, I tend to stay home, blast Christmas music and transform my house into my own personal winter wonderland.

It’s been a tradition for years. Last year, I was particularly depressed, so my tree went up on my mid-November birthday, but I didn’t decorate it until the day after Thanksgiving like normal.

It’s the day I spend watching my favorite Christmas movies, drinking eggnog coffee and eating leftover pumpkin pie for breakfast.

Thanksgiving may only be my second favorite holiday, but it’s still the best holiday out there.

Sure, the summer holidays are great too, but nothing beats the wonderful smells of a feast cooking all day long, the Macy’s parade, all-day-long football or the great memories being made with family.