It's that time of the year once again. Don't get so rushed you can't enjoy it.

Many people ate too much on Thanksgiving and slept it off on the couch in front of a television showing a football game. That's called tradition.

But a couple of other traditions also were on display — ones that were more in spirit with the generosity and spirit of the season.

Urbana High School held its 40th annual community Thanksgiving dinner. It's an event organized by student and community volunteers for the benefit of those who might not have a meal or a place to go for the holiday. It's a great event that speaks well of this community and the great people who live here.

The Thanksgiving dinner is just one of many reasons that make Champaign County a wonderful place to live.

Another local tradition was the Urbana Park District's 44th annual Turkey Trot, the Thanksgiving morning run (or walk) through Crystal Lake Park that fires up people's moods and appetites. More than 1,300 people participated this year.

The day after Thanksgiving was Black Friday, the shopping event that clearly is not for everyone but obviously is for a whole lot of people. Non-shoppers were free to enjoy more football on television or the Illinois High School football playoffs at Memorial Stadium over the long holiday weekend.

So it's a relaxing time or a busy time or an exciting time — whatever you prefer.

The jumble of activities keep people hopping from Thanksgiving through Christmas and New Years. Don't move so fast that you forget what or who matters most during the holiday season.