It was Abraham Lincoln who officially set the Thanksgiving day and back then it wasn't so close to Christmas. Christmas has always been on the 25th of December, but life was much slower. There was not so much to occupy life. Life was hard, but simpler and time was slower.
Now life is more hectic. We have a whole lot more to deal with and it is like we have less time to do more. I like to think of holidays as a break from the speed of life. We can take time to think of how truly blest we are. We are more likely to live to a ripe old age. Our children are more likely to live pass their childhood. We have warm or cold at turn of a dial. We have choice in what we eat. We can easily travel. We can stay in communication to anyone in any place. We have so much and today is the day to say, Thank You.