There is a holiday between Halloween and Christmas, a time for reflection and giving thanks for what we ALREADY HAVE. Sadly, it has been turned into the kick-off event (literally, there are tons of football games) for the biggest, nastiest shopping day of the year.
Retailers, if you’re open on Thanksgiving I’m not shopping at you (I will give a little break to grocery stores and gas stations, as long as it is not mandatory, and pay extra and overtime). I’ve even found a helpful list even though it appears to be from 2010 it seems unlikely they’ll have changed their ways.*
If you open on “midnight” on Black Friday I’m not shopping at you either.
Christmas “music” before Thanksgiving has to stop as well. My husband worked retail for many years and until about a year ago (a good 8-10 years post-retail drudgery) he was unable to listen to holiday music at all, even a trip to the grocery store was torturous for him as they blasted canned holiday muzak from all corners.
Thanksgiving has been buried by the constant bombardment and emphasis on “sales” “deals” “steals” “bargains” and other such blatant consumerism.
I know that the historical roots of Thanksgiving have been white-washed, but I don’t see anything wrong with setting side one day a year to be thankful, to sit down with family and/or friends. ONE DAY for everyone (including retail employees) to take a break from the preChristmas madness and consumerism to be decent to our fellow humankind. Is that really too much to ask?
kind-ism 