November 28, 2013

Don't Shop on Thanksgiving or Black Friday

There's a joke going around that "only Americans would trample on top of each other to buy new stuff the day after they give thanks for the things that they already have." Unfortunately I agree with it.

 The holidays are increasingly not about spending time with your family but about shopping, materialism and presents. We are more focused on giving our friends and family members the tangible, material goods that they desire but we don't give them our time, which is infinitely more valuable and wanted.

Shopping on Thanksgiving and "Black Friday" further put an emphasis on things instead of family. It doesn't matter how much money you save on something. It is not worth missing a day that could be spent with your family or perpetuating a culture of materialism. 

I understand that for some people, shopping on Black Friday and recounting their experiences is a family tradition. There are better traditions to be had. You could shop for presents as a family on a day where people won't be disregarding human life to save a few dollars.

Stores now stay open on Thanksgiving and other holidays to meet the demand of people wanting to do last minute shopping. It might be convenient but many people do not get to spend the holidays with their families because they have to work. In the past, people planned ahead and made sure all shopping was done ahead of time because they knew no stores would be open.

If you are with your family this holiday be thankful for being able to be. Keep in mind that many people can't be.   

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you are with your families, enjoying freshly baked Turkey and enjoying each others company.

If you would like to read about Thanksgiving in the past:

-The First Thanksgiving Celebration

-Thanksgiving Letter from an African American Civil War Soldier

6 comments:

  1. It's getting like that here in the UK, too; not with Thanksgiving, obviously, but certainly with occasions like Christmas. :( These celebrations are a time for family and friends, not shopping and selfishness. Thank you for this post.

    Happy Thanksgiving (again)! :)

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    1. I agree! Does your family still celebrate thanksgiving?

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    2. We do. No need to stop just because we've moved!

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  2. Wonderful post.
    We do anti-black Friday excursions that last the entire weekend: we go to museums, cut down our Christmas Tree, we visit the local Dickens Festival. All things done with family and friends.
    And...if any shopping is to be done (because there are some really cool antique stores in the town where the Dickens Festival is in), it's at a local mom & pop store and not a major chain.
    In fact, I made a vow that I will not shop at any store this Christmas Season that opened up on Thanksgiving Day.
    Happt Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas to you Stephanie Ann!

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  3. I'm glad my mom and I got to spend some time together on Thanksgiving.

    Working retail for so long has caused me to really start to dislike holidays. They were originally a day of rest and celebration, but the way companies view them is just a chance to make an extra buck. Unfortunately, most of our society just plays along with them, causing a lot of stress and problems for another part.

    Last week there was so much extra work to do in preparation for Thanksgiving. I essentially had to do several people's jobs. I was so tired that by the time I got home I didn't want to move.

    The most horrible part is that people were acting like they were entitled to whatever they wanted. We had a really good deal on a holiday item, similar to what other chains offer (buy an order this big, get a discounted/free item), except much better, but we still had people acting like we were cheating them, and angry because they didn't read the sign.

    Next time you go shopping around the holidays, remember that the people serving you are doing their best and following the rules, and don't treat them like a computer or robot whose world revolves around you. Chances are they're being treated like a pack animal, and are stressed out enough without having to deal with crap from another source.

    For your entertainment, I present commercialism in America:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BULV234vtw0

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