Giving Thanks

The holiday season is here again. What happened to October? Thanksgiving seems to have arrived earlier this year for some reason.

Here at Parthenon Publishing we’re starting to get in the holiday spirit. The twinkly lights have been hung, the front doors are decked out with wreaths, candy canes have already appeared in the break room, and a few of us are already secretly listening to holiday music.

Everyone is talking about plans for family gatherings for the Thanksgiving holiday and I couldn’t help but think about some of my own personal Thanksgiving memories. When I was little, every year my family traveled “over the river and through the woods” to my Grandma’s house for Thanksgiving, while my Mom encouraged us to sing that familiar song as we drove through rural Indiana.

The Thanksgiving meal in our neck of the woods wasn’t complete without mashed potatoes topped with homemade noodles. Yes, a starch on top of a starch. The noodles are in gravy and supposedly make a delectable mashed potato topping, but I never really liked the idea. Does your family have some dish that is unique or regional that the gathering wouldn’t be complete without?

I spent some time talking to my colleagues here at Parthenon about their Thanksgiving plans and family traditions this week, and I thought I’d share with you some of the things everyone here at work is thankful for this Thanksgiving.

•    A few Parthenon team members said they are thankful to have a full-time job, considering this trying job market where so many of our talented friends are still looking for work.

•    Several people said they are thankful for the snacks and drinks in the Parthenon break room, and birthday celebrations with bagels or cake.

•    We’re thankful for fun office field trips like zip lining through the trees, and chair massages to relieve stress after a big project.

•    Members of the editorial team are thankful for the times they hear from the readers, even if they are reaching out to take issue with something in a publication. And we’re thankful people are reading our magazines and newsletters.

•    Several people here are thankful they get to come to work alongside fun, smart, talented and caring co-workers.

•    In the wake of the flooding middle Tennessee experienced this spring, many employees mentioned being thankful to have been spared the worst of the damage, and are thankful they could help some neighbors in need.

•    Tons of people said they are thankful to be able to wear jeans every Friday.

•    A few Parthenon employees are giving thanks for their shiny, new computers that don’t crash. Others mentioned they are thankful for Apple computers, period.

•    And the largest response I heard from my colleagues was that they are most thankful for good health and the blessing of friends and family.

We hope you and yours have a safe, healthy and happy Thanksgiving!