With the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, there are so many great things to look forward to: more time spent with family and good friends, elections will be over, and Gilmore Girls returns on Netflix with four new episodes.
What does Gilmore Girls have to do with the Church, you ask? Well, not really that much. While the show casually joked about "Mormons" here and there, you won't see missionaries riding their bikes down the streets of Stars Hollow, nor will you find an LDS character frequenting Luke's Diner (although I have my theories about Taylor).
However, what you may find are some ways that we as members of the Church can totally relate to the Gilmore girls.
We plan for emergency situations.
While we plan a 72-hour supply of food for emergencies, Lorelai and Rory get to the important questions before the emergency: what about the cake?
Like Rory, we understand the importance of obtaining knowledge.
If you think about how many LDS-themed books there are to read in the world, you may be overwhelmed. Also overwhelming? The astonishing number of books Rory reads. . . . Maybe she's read the Book of Mormon?
We understand that Saturday is a special day.
Because Sunday's are reserved for worship and rest, we understand the true meaning of the Primary song that says, "Saturday is a special day. It's the day we get ready for Sunday." Lorelai has the right idea for how we truly prepare for Sundays.
We love community get-togethers and fun traditions.
Whether it's a chili cook-off at the church or a fun run through the town, we love hosting activities in our communities, especially if it's a tradition. No one does traditions or community get-togethers quite like Stars Hollow!
We can sometimes be judgmental.
Whether we're hangry on fast Sunday or just a bit self-righteous, we can sometimes make quick judgments. Maybe because he only ever eats salad, Luke tends to come across as a bit of a judgmental grump (with a soft heart, of course).
We love color-coordinating.
There's really nothing quite like a couple matching their Sunday outfits. However, color-coordinating isn't just reserved for Sundays—it's a vital part of family pictures. Richard and Emily Gilmore are an example to us all in their efforts to always match their dressy looks perfectly.
We love airport greetings, especially when we haven’t seen each other in two years.
We always say that missionaries stand out the most in their white shirts and name tags, riding the streets on a bike. However, probably more iconic than seeing a missionary in the field is seeing a missionary come home. Although Lorelai and Rory were only apart for a summer, Lorelai knows the proper way to greet her daughter at the airport.
We're very optimistic.
Okay, I know we just decided that Luke was grumpy, but he's actually a pretty optimistic guy. And so are many members of the Church. In fact, one New York Post reporter wrote a whole article about why she thinks Mormons are the happiest people in America.
It's true that we definitely have our differences. However, even though we don't drink coffee like the Gilmores, the show really boils down to family loyalty and love.