For a host of reasons, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Coming from a large, blended family, Thanksgiving was my family’s “anchor” holiday. We prioritized getting home from wherever we lived, whether it meant flying cross-country or driving through an early snowstorm.

The holiday always focused on spending quality time together, with cousins, aunts, uncles, great aunts, grandparents, and family friends. We numbered so many that the kids’ table stayed a kids’ table well into our twenties.

My sister took over as Thanksgiving hostess a decade ago and the next generation flies in from all over the country because it’s still the holiday that is not to be missed. Watching my nieces and nephew reconnect without missing a beat makes me smile just thinking about it. The kids table is filled with “kids” who are now in their thirties and quite honestly, it’s the hottest seat in the house.

So, why is Thanksgiving my favorite holiday? I love Thanksgiving because it is:

• family, not retail, focused. You won’t catch any of us shopping on “Black Friday”;

• a foodie holiday (we all love to cook AND eat);

• leisurely, slow-paced, and agenda free;

• also fun and rowdy (my family likes to joke that we put the “fun” in family dysfunction);

• predominantly “unplugged”;

• at its core, a time to reflect on what we are thankful for.

I have so much to be grateful for in my life. I am especially happy to have the opportunity to do rewarding work that helps others. I have met and worked with so many talented individuals, from college students to recent graduates to young, and less young, professionals. Each and every client has helped me learn and grow.

My clients impress me with their energy, creativity, resilience and openness. They delight me with their potential, especially when they realize how much they have to offer an employer. My best days are when my clients let me know that they’ve got the job offer they had been working so hard to land.

I am immensely grateful to all of you who read my newsletter, have shared it with others or recommended my services to friends and family. To date, 100% of my business is from word of mouth. Next month marks my three-year anniversary starting C2C. I would not have made it without you, your referrals and your faith in me and my services.

Thank you for your support, kindness and generosity. Henry David Thoreau perhaps expressed what I feel best:

“I am grateful for what I am and have. My Thanksgiving is perpetual.”

May your holiday table be abundant with food, laughter, good company and gratitude.