Annual Thanksgiving Rant or What's Your Thanks in Thanksgiving?

Does the thought of stores open for business on Thanksgiving make you see red or at least a vibrant pink? Does hearing K-Mart will be open at 6 a.m., Walmart and Best Buy at 6 p.m., and Target, Sears, Macy's at 8 p.m., to name just a few, make you want to hand in your membership card to the human  race? Okay, maybe not to that extreme, there are far more important situations to hand in your card for but you get the idea. And I'm right along with you when it comes to these stores.

But I can't vilify and lay the whole blame on the retail sector.  Like the movie Field of Dreams, corporate America heard the little voice say, "if you open, they will come".  And the public did . . .  in droves.  Let's face it, if the consumers weren't there, the doors would stay shut.  So why? According to a RetailMeNot email survey one in five consumers said it gave people a fun activity to do on Thanksgiving.   They haven't talked to my husband. "Families often like to do more than just eat on Thanksgiving. Some go to movies. Some go bowling. Some go to football games or to restaurants," says Bill Thorne, senior vice president of the National Retail Federation.   They couldn't buy or borrow a DVD or play some games at home? It's not like there's not going to be another sale until Christmas! I just don't get it.

When I was a kid, the men would watch  football games, except for my dad who'd go down stairs to play pool with anyone who'd like to challenge him, and the mothers would congregate in the kitchen to help prepare the meal.  When everyone was gathered at the bountiful table, my grandmother would say a short grace that was followed by the noise of platters being passed around and requests for favorite foods.  Then came the silence broken by the clanks of silverware as we enjoyed the results of their labor.  Like a wave,  conversations would rise and fall throughout.  Afterwards, the adults would gather at the table and play penny poker while the cousins, all girls and most of us within four years range of each other, would talk and listen to music. 

Most of those adults have passed on now and the cousins are scattered across the US.  We'll never have those times again.  I miss them.  And I have to ask, what kind of memories are the families of these shoppers and workers going to have to look back on; laughter and sharing or long lines, fighting for a parking space and/or a missing family member at the Thanksgiving table?

Okay, if you feel stores should be closed on Thanksgiving, raise your left hand and  place your right hand on your credit/debit card or any thing else you use to get yourself into debt then repeat after me:

        I, say your name, solemnly swear not venture forth into any store, mall or on-line shopping site to make any purchases on Thanksgiving Day. I shall respect the ideals of Thanksgiving by spending it with family and/or friends and shall not force anyone to work because of my selfish wants.

Good for you.  Now please share what you're thankful for besides family,  friends, employment, health etc.  One of the things I, and this might sound a little strange, am amazed at times and grateful for the ability to turn on my faucet and have hot and cold, clean water whenever I want it.  So many people around the world don't have this simple feature.  We take it for granted like so many other things and we shouldn't.

May you have a wonderful, happy, and safe Thanksgiving.

Sources: Huff Post, USA Today,

Really?

                                               

                                Hurry we must make it to the stores before 8!


Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching and with it Black Friday. I personally don't like Black Friday and try not to shop on that day.  I hate the crowds and I seem to catch good sales on other days without getting caught up in that frenzy.

 You've probably have heard there are enough petitions to stuff a turkey against stores trying to get a jump on that day and opening for business on Thanksgiving .  (If you want you can go to Change.org  to sign any number of them.)    As you can imagine, I'm against opening up on Thanksgiving.  To me it 's just wrong.  It's a day to reflect, to appreciate the things that truly matter and if possible spend time with people you care about. ( My father and his wife have passed on and my mother and sister live in another state but they will all be at our table, if only in our thoughts.) It's a shame people have to leave their families behind because they have to work.

In fairness I have to report that Target said on their blog,  A Bullseye View,   "The holiday season is highly competitive, and Thanksgiving weekend is one of the busiest shopping times of the year. Target’s opening time was carefully evaluated with our guests and team members in mind. Our opening time this year reflects the feedback we have heard from our guests – many prefer to shop following their family gatherings rather than in the very early hours of the morning."   They also state they asked for volunteers and had not forced anyone to work.  But I have to wonder, in this economy, would one feel pressured into working? If they're seasonal workers, probably. Do they feel it would be a check mark against them if they didn't?  Could be, I don't know for sure.  Remember, this is Target's rendition of the facts.

 And who are these consumers, whom they speak of, who are so hell bent on shopping? What, there's no other sales for the next four weeks they can go to? Is cooking and having company not enough that they have to walk for hours from store to store?  And if there has to be one,  why can't Black Friday come a week after Thanksgiving?  What priorities are we accepting and teaching our children if we allow Thanksgiving to be violated ?

I know this is more of a rant  but I just don't get it.

Do you shop on Black Friday? Are you going to shop on Thanksgiving?  If you are tell me what I'm missing here.  Thanks.


A little side note: Small Store Saturday - support the little businesses that are a part of America's  hometown.  Also checkout craft sites or go to craft shows for unique gifts.