MOORHEAD — Happy Friday everyone!!

I hope you all had a wonderfully safe hunting season, brought back that trophy buck and enjoyed some time with family and friends. I, unfortunately, did not get my deer through traditional ways — well, maybe traditional ways for this neck of the woods. Basically, I hit a monster doe with my car while driving back to Moorhead last weekend. But my cute little blue Ford Taurus is a toughie. She didn't have a scratch or dent on her! I don't think I can say the same for the deer, though. I guess I don't know for sure. I just kept driving.

BUT! Nevertheless, I made it back to my cozy little home in north Moorhead and am ready to both physically and mentally prepare for one of my favorite holidays: Thanksgiving.

What? You mean to tell me we are already in the Christmas season? Honey, no. You need to back this Christmas train up. November is reserved for THANKSGIVING.

While many, many of my Facebook friends are busy trimming their trees and decking the halls, I am here to remind everyone why Thanksgiving is important. So here's five reasons why we should NEVER try starting Christmas before Thanksgiving is over.

It's long enough already

Really, though. I am all for a bit of holly-jolly, but when you're stuck with green and red from the second the clock strikes midnight on Halloween and it becomes November? It gets a little less "ho, ho, ho," and a bit more "no, no, no."

Christmastime — including decorating, movies and music — should begin no earlier than Black Friday. It's a time when everyone is still a bit comatose from their Thanksgiving feast, and ready to get a bit of a workout in while they climb up and down the chairs (for us vertically challenged folk) to reach the top branches.

After the tree goes up, it doesn't need to come down for over two months. TWO. MONTHS. We are talking Nov. 29, 2019, all the way through Jan. 31, 2020, if you want! That's two full months of sparkly garland, twinkling lights and the smell of pine wafting to the far corners of the house. There's no major holidays until Valentine's Day, so what do you have to lose?

Santa needs more time

Think of the big guy in red, people. Would you like your job to start over a month before it is supposed to? I sure wouldn't. I mean, I love my job and all (because who wouldn't love getting paid to meet people, visit and drink coffee?), but I do love my time off, too. And I don't even have to make toys for all of the children in the world!

The elves are small, too. Their arms and legs can only move so fast. Imagine how big the workshop at the North Pole must be to house every elf, all the reindeer and the toy factory? They need some time to move from toy station to toy station to make the race cars, dolls, chemistry sets and other gifts for the young people of the world.

Christmas music is a lot

Don't get me wrong, I am a BIG Mariah Carey fan. And when she belted out her smash hit "All I Want for Christmas Is You" alongside teen heartthrob Justin Bieber? I got SUPER festive!

Holiday music is beautiful. It's one of my favorite parts of the season. But there are only so many days of it one can take before they go completely mad. It seems that more and more outlets nowadays are forcing "Jingle Bell Rock" on us earlier each year. Satellite radio even began its onslaught of holiday music two weeks ago on Nov. 1!

Like I said, holiday music is wonderful. It really is. Just not beginning in early November.

What about thankfulness?

Thanksgiving is a time to come together and express thankfulness for everything you have. Whether the family you're with is a chosen or given family, we all have things we are grateful for.

How about that job that allows you to put food on the table? Or that house that, while you think it may need work, keeps you warm and dry and safe every night?

No matter where you're at in life, there's always something to be thankful for. Even getting the chance to be thankful is something — some may never get to do it.

Don't skip this season of thankfulness to rush into the December holidays.

Stuffing and gravy

Stuffing and gravy are perhaps two of the most glorious parts of the Thanksgiving feast.

There's something about moist, cooked bread and herbs, smothered in what may look like a gallon of meat drippings mixed with flour and milk, that warms the soul. Add in some fluffy mashed potatoes and creamy sweet potatoes and the meal is almost perfect. Just a bit of green bean hotdish and voila!

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Friday 5 is a weekly column featuring quick tips, tricks, ideas and more — all in bunches of five. Readers can reach Forum reporter Emma Vatnsdal at 701-241-5517.