In a desperate search for body- and budget-fitting clothes, my friend Jess and I braved the teenage mobs who gather at the mall. Unfortunately, we encountered something more terrifying than teens; we heard Christmas songs in every store.

It was only Nov. 3.

By Nov. 13, two local radio stations joined in the annihilation of Thanksgiving by switching to 24/7 Christmas music.

A few years ago, I used to joke with my friends and family about how the Christmas season would begin right after Halloween. Now it is a reality, and Thanksgiving is completely bypassed.

Lately I've had children on the brain because we are thinking about having a third, and I'm worried about that dreaded middle-child syndrome. Trying to put my fears to rest, I did some Internet research, and the ideas I gleaned simmered in my brain and led me to believe that Thanksgiving suffers from middle-child syndrome.

When else in the year do three major holidays happen so close together? Though the greeting card industry tries to hype up other holidays, none comes close to Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

In my readings, I learned that middle children often feel a sense of not belonging and/or being ignored. In our increasingly commercial world, Thanksgiving falls from the in-crowd because there are no gifts or decorations to buy; most Halloween décor can pass for Thanksgiving trimmings. Thanksgiving lacks true profit potential, so most stores ignore it and rush shoppers from Halloween candy and costume purchases into frenzied Christmas spending.

I used to think that the grocery stores adored Thanksgiving until I began to notice how their main displays from August to the end of October are for Halloween candy. Then when Nov. 1 arrives, the stacks of stocking-stuffing candy canes and other Christmas sweets appear front and center.

I also learned that middle children often feel lost in the cracks. In my errand-running travels, I hear people grumbling about how Thanksgiving should be shoved into the crevices because it interferes with Christmas preparation.

If we didn't have to worry about "turkey with all the trimmings," we could spend more time decorating the house, inside and out. We could attend and host more parties. There would be ample hours to watch those classic movies and cartoons that bring back the "true meaning" of Christmas.

So how can a middle child avoid or overcome these feelings? I learned a tip for that, too. Parents are told to praise a child for his/her accomplishments, thoughts and opinions separate from their siblings. So what can we praise Thanksgiving for over Halloween and Christmas?

First, it makes us focus our thoughts on what we have in our lives that no store could ever provide: health, family and friends. Though these blessings could be celebrated on the other two holidays, the glitz and glamour of consumerism shove thankful thoughts into the shadows.

Second, Thanksgiving is simple. Yes, making the dinner is work, but compared to the preparations needed to carry out a "successful" Halloween or Christmas, Thanksgiving is far from challenging. Buy the groceries, clean the house, cook the meal and clean up. Not too complicated for most of us plain folk.

And third, Thanksgiving helps us to reach out to others. Often in the commercial bustle of Christmas, we buy things for people in need that provide for wants only; mainly we are driven to buy toys for children. Thanksgiving allows us to help everyone with a basic need: food. Some people donate items or money to food banks, and many people volunteer to prepare piping hot meals for those in need.

We, as good parents, must help our middle-child Thanksgiving overcome its feelings of inferiority by living its message of love, compassion and thankfulness from Nov. 1 until Black Friday, and if possible, every day of the year.

We need to praise Thanksgiving for offering us one day to stop worrying about all we would like to have, about all we would like to be, and about all we think we need. We need to celebrate Thanksgiving for offering us one day to focus on what we have been given, on what we can share, and on how precious every moment is.

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.