Day by day, fellow Columbians. Let’s give Thanksgiving its time to shine.

Of the many Holidays in the Gregorian calendar, none gets the short end of the stick more than Thanksgiving. Wedged between Halloween and Christmas, this cause for celebration exists between when rotting Jack O’ Lanterns are thrown out and when pine trees are strung with lights. This year, Bwog daily Leo Bevilacqua wants more Thanksgiving spirit.

Despite Thanksgiving’s sordid past, this holiday has come to signify other paths to the “New World” that have unified and strengthened family bonds. Thanksgiving has evolved into something completely different than what transpired shortly after the first Thanksgiving at Plymouth Rock. Hear me out, though–I don’t think this year, as evidenced by the current election, we can afford to lose another opportunity to celebrate the American values of unity, equality, and inclusion.

That being said, before the wreaths, poinsettias, and tall pines come out from storage, let us collectively invest in some new decorations and wait ’til December for Christmas. Before the Yule Log Ceremony and the lighting of the College Walk trees, lets enjoy the relatively warm weather and have one last picnic on Low Beach. Let’s at least have November as a reprieve from October and December, two months entirely monopolized by Hallmark.

November should be a time for more subtle and natural decorations. I want to see more cornucopias and fall vegetables, with the exception of pumpkins, displayed proudly as centerpieces on every table in every dining hall from John Jay to Hewitt. Dig Inn has been doing a good job of using only the wartiest gourds as centerpieces–CU Dining should take some tips. Haystacks should line every wall, even in the twisted labyrinth that is Schermerhorn, and there should be cider in every water fountain. Maybe it’s extreme, but it’s a good place to start. Regardless of your beliefs on this contentious holiday, it undeniably has the potential for great aesthetics and great cheer.

Photo courtesy of this festive Pinterest