Happy Thanksgiving and an Upcoming Giveaway

First, I want to wish all of you here in the U.S. a very happy Thanksgiving. I hope you spend it with those you love - be they friends, family, or both. The E.V.L Thanksgiving will be a simple one this year, but I am thankful to be spending it with those most important to me - both the two-legged and four-legged variety.

*Image found here

We have plans to go for a Thanksgiving day ride as well. Our weather is supposed to be pretty pleasant and I'm looking forward to spending a bit of time on two-wheels without thought of where I'm headed or how fast that ride may or may not be.

For most of my life, this time of year has brought about a season of falling into a retrospective that can leave me feeling drained, alone, and sometimes even a tad bitter. I don't like what this season can do to me because I want to be full of cheer and spend time with those I care about, but it seems that the more festivities I'm invited to share in, the more I withdraw and find excuses not to be around other people.

I am well aware that I am not the only person who falls prey to this season, but it's easy to believe I am the only one who just wants through the holidays. I do my best to put up bright lights and festive decorations, but it can become mentally difficult as the weather turns and it's easier to get caught up in my own head than doing the things I should be doing.

One of the few things that does bring me great joy (really at any point in the year, but specifically during this season) is to be able to give to others. Because I can already feel myself heading down the dark path, I want to get things off to a good start. We've had the opportunity to give a bit already this season to an organization that helps the homeless, and I know I'll be donating to our humane society, but I'd also like to have another go-around with a holiday blog giveaway.

This is where I ask for your input, dear readers. I have a couple of items to give away, but if you have specific bike-related items you'd like to see as part of a blog contest, please let me know in the comments section. In addition, if there's a specific type of contest you'd like to participate in, feel free to let me know that as well. At this point, I'm guessing it will be something similar to the past holiday giveaway, but I am definitely open to ideas.

For those newer to the blog, the last holiday contest was pretty simple (and as a side note, holy cow... has it really been three years since the last one?!). There was a question posted and anyone who chose to participate with an answer was entered into the random electronic drawing and the winner was announced following a certain time cut-off. The prizes generally aren't significant, but it's hopefully a way to bring a little smile into a few of your lives during the hustle and bustle of the season - and to those who don't win anything, hopefully you'll have fun participating in the contest regardless.

So, as you spend the day tomorrow giving thanks for all that we've been blessed with, I would like to thank you for being a reader and continuing to offer your thoughts in regard to my sometimes random or seemingly unintelligible ideas here. I'm looking forward to a fun December with a few bicycle-related giveaways and look forward to an interactive holiday season with you.