Halloween is over. Everybody is just about down from their sugar highs. What's next? According to T.V. ads, newspaper circulars, and stores, its Christmas. Uh, Christmas? Its November. Wasn't there something in between trick or treat and special trees? What happened to Thanksgiving? Thanksgiving is the most family friendly of all the holidays to me. The family gathers together to relax and have a great meal without the pressure of presents and over the top decorations. Its a time for talk and hugs. A few dried leaves, gourds, and, maybe, a turkey center piece is all that is needed. The colors of fall, tans, light browns, quiet reds and golds can be found inside and outside the house. In my early days Thanksgiving meant seeing a bigger part of the family. Some that I wouldn't see on the tree holiday because of the elf in red. It meant the smell of turkey in the oven, dressing being made, and pies in the oven. It meant relatives wandering around the house. After the big dinner there was listening to the Southwest Conference football game between the Longhorns and the Aggies on the radio and a nap for the kids and some of the grown-ups. It meant dividing the leftovers with the relatives to take home since all had brought part of the wonderful meal. Why throw away such a wonderful holiday? Living alone, I miss those happy times of the gathering. Gathering the family and the farmers gathered their crops in preparation for winter. What happened to Thanksgiving? Don't we still need a holiday solely for giving thanks for what we have?