Thanksgiving

Yesterday was Thanksgiving in the US. After all these years, this Canadian kid can’t get used to Thanksgiving in November.

We had a wonderful dinner with the family. Only one of the boys was missing due to work, but two had to go to work after dinner, so we had it early. And that is the reason for this blog today. I have two that work in retail and one that works at a retirement home. Obviously, the one who works at the retirement home is needed, but did the retail stores have to be open on Thanksgiving Day?

There’s been a lot of debate on that issue this year on the social media sights. People are complaining that we’ve become too commercial and that family should be together on Thanksgiving. Of course, people have been complaining for years that Christmas has become too commercial. I think even back in Dicken’s day they were complaining. Has there ever been a time that Christmas wasn’t commercial? I think we all hark back to days that never existed—the rose-coloured glasses of Christmas past. At least in my lifetime Christmas has been very commercial. Shoot, I bet about the only time it wasn’t commercial was the first one in Bethlehem!

There are always the ones that say Christmas isn’t about the presents, that we should stop buying and enjoy the season for what it should be. Now my first thought is, “What would their reaction be to a tree with no presents under it?” I remember one Christmas that I spent away from home. I was living with some friends of my boyfriend. They bought me one token present. It was the most miserable Christmas of my life.

Christmas is about a lot of things: the birth of Christ; giving gifts; receiving gifts; enjoying the season; loving each other, etc. People zero in on the commercialism and forget that it’s part of the whole package. Yes, I love finding the perfect present; yes, I love going to midnight mass; yes, I love watching the kids open their present; no I hate the snow (had to throw that in).  

Also, since I have two children in retail I’m rather glad of the commercialism because they have jobs!! Both were unemployed for a long time because people were not spending and companies were downsizing. We shouldn’t go into debt, but retailers would go out of business and the country would crumble with Christmas shopping. So even though it cut into my holidays I was rather glad it was because of work.

But, should the stores be open for Thanksgiving. I say no. Give us one day to stop, and take a breath, before the madness of the holidays. Although I have to say I was tempted by the 30% off all items at Michael’s and thought of going there late last night. But after eating all that ham and fixings, I was too full to move out of the chair LOL.