Thanksgiving is a time filled with family, endless food and obligatory appreciation posts on social media. However, in recent years this time of year has also been filled with near hypocrisy for much of the country. The idea of thankfulness has become contaminated by Black Friday and the misconstrued thought that we constantly “need” more material things to remain happy. On Thanksgiving, the most beneficial thing we can do to fulfill our own happiness is to reflect upon what we already have.

The origins of Thanksgiving, which dates back to the pilgrims, have always been rooted in celebration of feeling content and satisfied. The very nature of the holiday itself brings together family and other loved ones through the sharing of a meal together. It is common to not only share food, but also things each person is grateful for. This creates an atmosphere of contentedness, and sometimes food comas, leaving many families with memories to last a lifetime.

Many of these traditions have evolved since the late 1980s when Black Friday first became widely promoted and widely participated in. In recent years, Black Friday has slowly expanded from a one day event to including Thursday night and even the weekend leading up to Cyber Monday. This means that after the big meal on Thursday celebrating what we already have, some head straight out to get first dibs on all the new products.

As a result of these sales all across the nation, people are spending less time focusing on what they are grateful for and more time focusing on what can be added to the list of things that bring them “joy.” According to thebalance.com, the average Black Friday shopper in 2017 spent an estimated $967.13. Keeping in mind that a portion of this is spent on gifts for others, it is still clear that most come away with things that they had not set out to buy and probably did not need. It is obvious that this new tradition is not going away. However, it is also clear that something needs to change.

The answer to this dilemma is actually quite simple. All it requires is taking a break from all the stimulations that this busy world surrounds us with, especially during the holidays. Take time to spend with family. Take time to stuff your face with turkey. Take time to reflect on the ways you have been blessed. Take time to make memories. Every chance you have, enjoy the little things in life and focus on what you do have, not what you don’t.

This doesn’t mean that a total boycott of Black Friday is necessary, I mean we’ve all benefitted from those Cyber Monday sales where you don’t even have to get out of bed and it can definitely be a good way to save money on buying gifts. Instead, maybe a change of mindset is all that is necessary. While participating in all the sales and bargains, one of the best ways to spend time and money can actually be through giving to someone who is in need. This will help keep things in perspective the next time someone takes the last half-off scented candle right in front of your eyes.