Thursday, November 28, 2013

What Happened to Thanksgiving?


 A few weeks ago, just after Halloween, I walked into my second home. I was stunned to see it decked out in Christmas decorations weeks before Thanksgiving. Actually I got really upset. Why are we pushing off one of the best American holidays into non-existence? Most importantly, where did my Thanksgiving blend go?
All joking aside, I love Thanksgiving. It’s a great day, full of all the ideas and concepts that I appreciate most about holidays. I like cooking and spending time with my family and being grateful for what I have. It’s something we should do everyday.

 Sadly, this one day is often the only day we get to appreciate these things. As much as I try to be mindful and grateful every day, this one day is, at the very least, the one day when we can share time with those we love and appreciate them. 
Yes, Christmas is also another time to share with your family. However, the over commercialization of Christmas often leads us to lose the true meaning behind the holiday. Here was an example of Christmas and big business doing just that – pushing the holiday meaning out of the holiday. Let’s just forget about Thanksgiving and remember we need to spend money for Christmas.

It’s sad that people who work in retail will have to work Thanksgiving to make room for all the sales of Black Friday. Big stores are opening up on Thanksgiving to give people an extra shopping day. Really?? Isn’t that what Black Friday is for? You shop the day after Thanksgiving. Spend the day with your family and then go out the day after. Let’s keep Thanksgiving sacred, people! Enjoy this one day since everyone keeps trying to take it away.

1 comment:

M said...

I agree whole-heartedly: keep Thanksgiving as a proper holiday! Is nothing sacred anymore? Our consumer culture really bothers me sometimes.