Thanksgiving is the ideal time to think about all the things we generally take for granted throughout the year.
And that includes our capacity to hear.
While sight, smell, and taste are at the forefront of our mind throughout the holidays, hearing oftentimes takes a back seat—that is, until we begin paying better attention.
To fully savor the holiday season calls for being fully present, and that includes being alert to all the sounds that ordinarily escape our full attention.
Below are five sounds to be mindful of and thankful for this Thanksgiving.
- The sound of food sizzling – You can’t match the aroma of roasting turkey filling up the house, but have you ever paused to indulge in the sounds of a busy kitchen with food popping and sizzling and timers going off? With a house packed with hungry guests, you’re specifically not going to want to miss those timers.
- Conversations around the dining table – The holiday season is an opportunity to get everybody together for stimulating conversation. You won’t want to miss out on any big news or amusing stories from the family members you rarely get to see. And as for those you’d rather not hear from, you’ll just have to pick your seat at the table carefully.
- Thanksgiving day football – To the disapproval of many non-football fans, the NFL has somehow incorporated itself into the holiday traditions. But for the sports fans in the family, the sounds of the crowd, the big hits, and the eruption after a touchdown are hard to match in intensity.
- Thanksgiving day parades – The sound of marching bands and applauding crowds in the background is an essential of Thanksgiving day. You’ll want to make sure you catch all of the music and activities.
- Holiday movies – Has anybody ever not consumed too much at Thanksgiving dinner? Following the heavy tryptophan-filled feast and plenty of socializing, it’s nice to unwind, relax, and watch your favorite movies.
Each one of these sounds add to the full Thanksgiving experience, and the more attentive we are of them, the more we can enjoy the day. It’s an important part of staying fully present and immersing yourself in the moment.
Regretfully, hearing loss can dull or eliminate many of these sounds. Missing out on important discussions, or not being able to hear the dialogue in movies, causes stress and anxiousness that should have no part in the holiday celebrations.
That’s why we’re encouraging those with hearing loss to consider the use of hearing aids ahead of the holiday season. Hearing aids can boost all five of the above sounds, bringing them into sharpened focus, potentially for the first time in many years.
It’s time to take back your holiday season—arrange your hearing test today!