Before you put the nativity scene up in your front lawn, just remember that we’re not even to Thanksgiving yet.

Unfortunately for Thanksgiving, it’s a holiday that we always are – but never should be – eager to look past.

There’s a lot to love and nothing to hate about Turkey Day.

The combination of food, football, family and friends births one of the best days on the calendar.

However, don’t let the tryptophan muddle your senses.

This is a holiday built around being thankful and you’d be remiss not to take it as such.

And we’re not talking about being thankful that the grades your parents saw didn’t count your last test or that the party you were at last weekend didn’t get busted.

No, being thankful that stores open at 3 a.m. on Black Friday doesn’t count either.

Nothing material. Nothing fleeting.

Before you get wrapped up in Christmas lists, decorations and soon-to-be-overplayed songs, take time out and really count your blessings.

Be glad that you’re not one of the dozens of families affected by the Penn State scandal, that you’re getting an education that’s going to prepare you for a solid future, that you never have to give a second thought worrying whether you’ll be fed or have clothes to wear – unlike a large portion of the rest of the world.

As you make that first cut into the turkey this Thanksgiving, just make sure that no matter how bad you think you have it, someone else always – and we mean always – has it worse.

Hopefully realizing that will make your holiday a little bit better.

That is, if the Cowboys losing hasn’t already done it.