The War on Thanksgiving

[RTS CNG Command]

Over the past few years, retailers that would open on Black Friday at midnight are rolling back their times to have then open on Thanksgiving evening, sometimes at ten, eight, or even six PM. Because of this, the media dubbed this the War on Thanksgiving. Two years ago, struggling retailer K-Mart opened on 6 AM and continued for 41 straight hours; next year, the same opening time, open one hour longer. Last year, a mall in Buffalo threatened to fine stores if they didn't open on Turkey Day at 6 PM. Of every national holiday in America, Thanksgiving is widely considered to be the most quintessential; in 1789, Congress urged President Washington a national day of thanks, and Washington obliged. Unfortunately, Black Friday (or sarcastically labeled Black Thursday) thrust this sacred holiday in the background thanks to corporate greed and pandering to shoppers who wish to buy a supposedly discounted item.

 

As a result, any retailer who announces that they will be closed on Thanksgiving is covered on the news. In 2013, when Costco announced that it was closed on Thanksgiving, it was a headline on Huffington Post (and they're doing the same this year). This year, in a reversal of trends, REI (a Seattle-based outdoors retailer) will be closed on Thanksgiving and Black Friday. This year, stores like Macy's, Best Buy, and Target are opening at the same time as last year. Unlike last year, H&M and Staples will be closed on Turkey Day this year.

 

There's been a hell of a lot of angry criticism at retailers like Walmart, Target, and Kmart for forcing their employees to work on the holiday when they should be getting a relaxing paid day off and spending quality time with their family. Their criticism is completely justified. Retail stores aren't a necessity; you shouldn't force employees to work long, strenuous hours on a holiday that should resemble thanking people and not a threat of unemployment. Working at a minimum wage is already hell; to make them work makes the companies appear heartless and greedy.

 

It's not just corporate that takes all the blame. Shame on the consumer, too. Does anyone think it's worth succumbing to the corporate pandering and acting like a fool when trying to buy a "discounted" 4K TV when chances are you might get a better discount earlier in the year or even after the weekend? I don't care if it doesn't happen that often. The fact that it does happen and can happen matters a hell of a lot more than it happening rarely, and it isn't okay. Wait for your shopping. Relax and have dinner with your family instead.

 

So, what do you think about this trend of leaking Black Friday into Thanksgiving, and do you feel it's gone way too far?

[ttcsubwayfan]

I think that it's a far bigger problem than just Thanksgiving, and not one that is restricted to the US. There is a mall not far from where I live that is open on almost every single holiday that exists - I think they're closed on Christmas Day, and even that I'm not sure about. People need to stop being greedy f*cks and find something else to do on holidays that isn't shopping... literally anything. IMO we should take a page from the book of the Austrians and have stores closed all day on Sundays outright.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Well now that I'm older, I like going out for Thanksgiving for dinner as oppose to having dinner in with family and friends, but I don't do any shopping.  I just go to an Italian restaurant in the city that is a favorite of mine off of Park Avenue South and then walk back to the express bus to walk off all of the food and drinks that I have. lol When I was still living on Staten Island (2011 I believe), I decided to skip the old traditional crap at home and went to the city for dinner.  As I was walking to the place I was going to eat at, I saw a ridiculous line out of Best Buy.  These people were waiting in the cold to buy discounted TVs.  I looked at them like they were crazy and one guy looked at me with scorn as if to say I need to stand out here because I couldn't afford a TV otherwise.  I think the whole thing is absurd.  Nowadays you can simply relax at home and shop online, which is precisely what I do. I do however shop out in December, but that's a different story.  

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I think that it's a far bigger problem than just Thanksgiving, and not one that is restricted to the US. There is a mall not far from where I live that is open on almost every single holiday that exists - I think they're closed on Christmas Day, and even that I'm not sure about. People need to stop being greedy f*cks and find something else to do on holidays that isn't shopping... literally anything. IMO we should take a page from the book of the Austrians and have stores closed all day on Sundays outright.

People love buying things, and this new generation is obsessed with consumerism and getting "deals". I'd say it's really more of an American thing, but you're right, in Europe, things close down for the holidays.  People spend time relaxing and with the family, or traveling, which is what I did when I lived back in Italy.  For Easter for example, everyone travels and everything shuts down.  

[ttcsubwayfan]

People love buying things, and this new generation is obsessed with consumerism and getting "deals".

 

I wouldn't say it's this generation specifically, I think that it's our collective society. My mom used to work at the mall I was talking about and she said there were lots of middle aged people going to the mall as well. She's had countless confrontations with these people about discounts, refounds, and other nonsense like that.

 

 

I'd say it's really more of an American thing, but you're right, in Europe, things close down for the holidays.  People spend time relaxing and with the family, or traveling, which is what I did when I lived back in Italy.  For Easter for example, everyone travels and everything shuts down.

 

Sadly, this nonsense seems to be spreading over there. I've heard of this shopping mania spreading over to the UK as well, and don't get even get me started on Slovakia... in Bratislava they've opened like 4 or 5 new shopping malls since 2012. When I was a kid there were really only 4 big ones across the city and no one had any problem with that, but now everyone seems to demand a shopping mall closer and closer to their place of residence, because God forbid they travel 30 minutes (by bus/tram, shorter by car) across the city. I get the need to have grocery stores within a short distance of your residence (which North America struggles a lot with) but not shopping malls, no way.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I wouldn't say it's this generation specifically, I think that it's our collective society. My mom used to work at the mall I was talking about and she said there were lots of middle aged people going to the mall as well. She's had countless confrontations with these people about discounts, refounds, and other nonsense like that.

 

 

 

Sadly, this nonsense seems to be spreading over there. I've heard of this shopping mania spreading over to the UK as well, and don't get even get me started on Slovakia... in Bratislava they've opened like 4 or 5 new shopping malls since 2012. When I was a kid there were really only 4 big ones across the city and no one had any problem with that, but now everyone seems to demand a shopping mall closer and closer to their place of residence, because God forbid they travel 30 minutes (by bus/tram, shorter by car) across the city. I get the need to have grocery stores within a short distance of your residence (which North America struggles a lot with) but not shopping malls, no way.

The problem is that we as a society are living in a world that moves at a much faster pace.  When I lived in Italy, I used to do the old school shopping thing... Go to my local cheese guy, my local fornaio (bakery/pastry shop), my local "bar" (the equivalent of a café here in the U.S.) for an espresso, a panino, etc.  Well I couldn't that now with my job.  I do miss that laid back lifestyle a lot and the two hour lunches and long naps (lol), but there's more competition, and everyone works at odd hours.  I like to get out of the office before 20:00 but sometimes people are still working since I have clients in different time zones and I just have to shut off the phone and say no more e-mails.  It's a question of we as a society wanting everything when we want it, and how far people are willing to push the envelope in terms of accommodating those needs because if one guy doesn't do it, another guy will and will gladly take the money.  I can remember just a few years ago you would be hard pressed to find much open on Thanksgiving save a few restaurants, but now that is changing.  I refuse to give in though, but for the average shopper who is obsessed with savings and discounts (which BTW are a regular thing  ), they just can't fathom not going to the malls and outlets.  The other thing about the malls is that they tend to carry the box stores, so the prices can be cheaper.  I mean I gave in a few times and went to a box store in Florence because it was cheaper to get my food in one place, but also MUCH faster. 

 

The other problem with the stores is foot traffic is slowing down because of online shopping, and retailers know that many people shop on impulse, so they'll do anything to get you in there, and then once they do, it's the salesmen and saleswomen that must get you to buy more.  Yet another reason I primarily shop online...

[Xfer2Nowhere]

Even though I won't really acknowledge my religious affiliation or lack thereof, there's only one thing I have to ask about this: is this what Jesus died for?

 

It seems that by its nature, the gift-giving tradition of Christmas combined with its ubiquitous, unifying nature lends itself to anticipation. I begin looking forward to it as soon as Back to School season. Being someone who hated school, my main motivating incentive to go through it was how close the holiday season was to it.

 

For those who aren't that much into what Halloween promotes (and I know a few), I could understand getting into the Christmas mood a bit early. For others, early Christmas shopping is a necessity because of the volume of crowds. There really isn't a specific rule set in stone about when to start celebrating the holidays. Arguably, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, although long a Thanksgiving tradition, is more a celebration of the holiday shopping season. It was even originally billed as a Christmas parade.

 

I personally have no problem with celebrating the Christmas season early. For me, it does not interfere with Thanksgiving, in fact it symbiotically enhances my enjoyment of both holidays to celebrate them concurrently.

 

The problem with the Christmas creep mainly lies within the commercialism and the public overexposure of that holiday to the point where Thanksgiving, another special (albeit controversial) holiday, is seen as expendable, more a roadblock to be overcome on the way to the Christmas season than just as much a part of the holiday season as Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year's, and all of the rest.

 

There's no problem with the idea of celebrating the Christmas season around Thanksgiving time, or really any other, if you really think about what the holidays stand for. Both share a sort of unifying spirit celebrating the cooperation, ingenuity, and emotional bonds used by humanity to persevere over tough times. There's a reason why the "Christmas in July" concept exists, to carry that feeling of the human bond over to other times of the year to show how pervasive that spirit is.

 

The problem here is when people are forced to acknowledge Christmas as supreme and Thanksgiving as expendable. I'm on board with what RTS says in the OP. Retailers and such are not essential services, and shouldn't sacrifice these symbolic and important days to such whims. On the side of the retailers, I can understand the big picture seeing how I've commented on and studied extensively the business aspects of a lot of my interests, however the bigger picture here is that cynicism and destructive, opportunistic impulses are superceding whatever good can come out of it.

 

Thanksgiving presents us another opportunity to reclaim the best in humanity (regardless of what its background may be) by celebrating our cooperative spirit and overcoming adversity. There's one thing that's left for us to do. Stop going to the brick-and-mortar stores on Thanksgiving. Vote with your wallet and your actions. Show the world the even greater gift humanity has - the ability to recognize his mistakes and rise above his more primal impulses - by making the choice. If you're willing to put your Thanksgiving on the line for the benefit of the greater good, go for it. This holiday represents the foundations our lives are built on and what it means to be human, and the ability to choose and make informed decisions is a great part of it. The best way to be thankful for that gift and life itself is to use it.

[Grand Concourse]

I just want christmas to stay away till the end of thanksgiving. I am sick of christmas creeping in when it is still friggin halloween. Unfortunately there's nothing marketable about thanksgiving as it is all about sales. So on that point i also agree society in general is obsessed about the material things than family gatherings.

[peacemak3r]

I haven't done any Black Friday shopping since I was a teenager, it's quite pointless frankly now. I mean, Cyber Monday is where the deals are at anyway.

[BreeddekalbL]

is it wrong that i wanna go to back friday to see some violence?! 

[yardlet6]

I think that it's a far bigger problem than just Thanksgiving, and not one that is restricted to the US. There is a mall not far from where I live that is open on almost every single holiday that exists - I think they're closed on Christmas Day, and even that I'm not sure about. People need to stop being greedy f*cks and find something else to do on holidays that isn't shopping... literally anything. IMO we should take a page from the book of the Austrians and have stores closed all day on Sundays outright.

Lots of European countries have their stores close on Sundays. In Germany Wal-Mart got in trouble for trying to open on times that were illegal. The bosses almost went to jail since the law was put in effect during the Nazi era.