All that glitters is not gold, jade glitters too

Chuseok (or Korea's Thanksgiving Holiday), is a day which everyone goes to their parents' house, has a nice dinner, and celebrates family unity. What is funny is that Chuseok felt more like a real holiday to me than let's say Christmas or my Thanksgiving Day. This just proves to show, when you're alone (or semi-alone) for the holidays, the day does not matter so much as what is closed and how many people are on the street. Yes, this may make me appear slightly jaded, but lately I don't think that is such a bad thing. Being jaded usually means you are realistic, and who ever said it does not pay to be realistic? I used to think that Holidays were characterized by the company you spent it with, but if that were the case then how come every day when I was home with my parents it was not a 'holiday'? The feelings partially have to do with those around you, but they mostly have to do with the societal behaviors on a particular day. The stores are closed, people are either inside or spending their leisure time outside, and the only take-out you can get is Chinese food. So, if next year we chose to hold Thanksgiving on October 23rd instead, would it not feel like Thanksgiving? Family is exceedingly important, yet we only choose to truly appreciate them on certain days of the year when there's nothing else to do [or shop for]. Having these large, commercial national holidays might not be instilling the right values, but I suppose they do give everyone equal opportunity to cherish their families on the same day.