This year Thanksgiving fell on the first day of Chanukah.  Of all the joyous holiday posts on facebook that day, one in particular made me smile most of all; Ross wrote, "Gobble-Tov."

Ironically, our family wasn't even celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday, we were decking the halls with boughs of holly for a post-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving with extended family the following day.  We combined two holidays of our own and christened the day "ThanksMas" or maybe "ChristGiving."  I can't decide which I like best, for they both capture the heart of both holidays.  Mas is the Spanish word for more, and implies that more and more thanks is our natural response, not only on Thanksgiving Day but all through the Christmas season, when we remember the great love God lavished on us when He sent His Son.  Likewise ChristGiving sends the same message - Christ is the gift that floods our lives to overflowing, then pours forth from our lives in Gratitude and Love.  

ChristGiving.  Outpouring.  ThanksMas.  More and more, all season long.

Today another post on Facebook caught my eye.  Alessa wrote: Thanksgiving is the first feast of Christmas.  And I thought, "Absolutely!"  How intimately these two holidays intertwine; one preparing hearts as it heralds the arrival of the other.  Thanksgiving always ushers us into His courts!

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

(Psalm 100:4)

Happy ThanksMas, and a Merry ChristGiving to you and yours!