THIRSTY CAMEL: November 2009

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holidays. i love them. mongolians, although willing partiers, are not much for holidays. christmas and new years are combined (which i think is very efficient of them), then comes the lunar new year (tsagaan sar) and then you have to wait all the way till july for naadam. and that's about it.

this may be because there is not a strong consumerism attached to holidays here. if i think about it, almost all holidays in america are only big deals because there is always something to buy - whether it's for the actual holiday or because there's a particularly good sale going on. i mean, who would even know about president's day if some car dealership didn't advertise about their massive, not-to-miss sale? i think some americans, without realizing it, actually celebrate holidays through buying stuff. and they enjoy that - which is obviously something businesses have picked up on. if you took all the shopping out, some people would have no idea how to celebrate or even what to celebrate.

i'm not saying buying stuff is bad. people should buy things; it's good to suppport worthy businesses and for a nation to build a decent economy. i just think it's more important to be wise about what you celebrate and why and how. i mean, thanksgiving in mongolia is still great sans turkey and the macy's thanksgiving day parade - because the heart of thanksgiving (or really any other holiday that matters) is relationships. the point of these holidays is so people can come together and be together, right? if you're a christian, these holidays remind you of the incredible miracle that is a relationship with the Creator of the Universe. realtionships, loving others, being loved by others - that's what makes these holidays truly satisfying. even if it's just st. patrick's day - you're drinking a green beer with someone!

for now, at least, the holidays that matter most in mongolia are celebrated for their quality, regardless of their quantity. tonite, i will have a weird mongolia-style thanksgiving dinner with good friends and i will probably miss my family. but tomorrow, in addition to being a few pounds heavier, i will know that i'm loved and that it is a great gift to love others. and i will know that it was a good thanksgiving.

here's some parting thanksgiving joy for you and yours:

nothing says it best like a festive hat:

good old mr. bean:

Marcie: But Thanksgiving is more than eating, Chuck. You heard what Linus was saying out there. Those early Pilgrims were thankful for what had happened to them, and we should be thankful, too. We should just be thankful for being together. I think that's what they mean by 'Thanksgiving,' Charlie Brown.