Stores open on Thankgiving

[Mr Saturn64 742]

There's been some outrage over K-Mart being open on Thanksgiving, and more stores continue to tag along, or in a few cases like this one; start it.

 

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/11/staples_will_open_on_thanksgiv.html

 

While reading this article, a thought came into my mind: "Isn't Thanksgiving the day in this country where we give thanks for what we have?"  For decades people have talked about a commercialized Christmas, and that's undeniable.  But now with Black Friday the day after Thanksgiving, people (greedy companies) have used this to give a boost.  Thanksgiving is now regarded as "Turkey Day" and I would not be surprised if people actually thought that was the holiday's meaning.  Now it seems Thanksgiving is a day to get a head start on already commercialized Christmas.  Thanksgiving was meant as a day to be thankful for your family, friends, and all other great things in your life.  Traditionally, people met with their families, and celebrated thankfulness with them.  Other people thanked God or any other religious figure with their families.  It's meant as a day of thankfulness, but it has turned into a commercial opportunity.  The only things that should be open on Thanksgiving are Fire Departments, Police Stations, and Hospitals.

 

But sure, there are still great Thanksgiving traditions.  The parade down Broadway in New York City is an example.  Near where I am, people parade down the Ben Franklin Parkway (but both are plagued by dance mobs and bad music) but nonetheless, many traditions continue onwards.  And they can and should last forever.

 

But it's becoming something less with big business involved.

[Ocram's Razr 963]

It is such a shame. I only participate in Cyber Monday so that I can still spend time with my family on Thanksgiving weekend and I don't take workers away from their families.

--Ocram

[LexusInfernus 908]

Don't blame the stores, they are merely providing a service and apparently there is enough demand for such a service. In any case, those stores just do what they are supposed to do, namely make as much money as possible. That is not greedy behavior, that is called Capitalism. You know, that thing you Americans are always going on about. 

 

And black friday is certainly not a case of corporate greed. That is pure human greed. Consumer greed. The way they will murder each other for deals is greed on their part, not the stores. Face it, a large group of consumers are just greedy. 

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Canadian Thanksgiving is the second Monday in October.  It is observed or not by retailers depending on the consumer environment.  Capitalism does things like this as the society becomes less traditional and more permissive (decadent).

 

For a view of what tradition can do for you I suggest watching Fiddler on the Roof.

[ROFLyoshi 1,760]

All I can think about is what about all the poor staff who have to work on these days? I know this already, as I must work Christmas and many other public holidays.

[LexusInfernus 908]

Don't they get paid extra? 

[metarvo 710]

I don't have a problem with Black Friday, but I think opening on Thanksgiving itself is crossing a line somewhere.  I'm not thinking of going to stores on Thanksgiving; I'm thinking of eating Thanksgiving dinner with family and watching football.  With all of that going on, what store is there time to go to?  Next thing you know, stores will be open on Christmas Day so the extreme last-minute shoppers can get deals.  That's where this leads.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Where all this leads is to a completely secular society with no holidays of any kind.  Sounds kind of third world, eh?

[LexusInfernus 908]

If you don't want that kind of world, let your voice be heard and don't go shopping on those days. If not enough people show up, they will change the policies again. 

[Meg 368]

Is this part of the so-called "war on Christmas"?   In terms of visibility, Christmas has expanded to take over other holidays, namely Thanksgiving.  Having "Black Friday" be the day after Thanksgiving is one thing but I was in the grocery store on November 1 (aka the day after Halloween) and all of the Christmas merchandise was out.  I do not need to buy candy canes in November.

 

I have no intention of shopping of Thanksgiving.  I wasn't going to anyway but I'm glad there is a call to boycott stores that day.   If no one comes to shop, maybe the store owners will get the message.  Somehow, I doubt it.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

The only effective thing is to not shop on either Thanksgiving nor Black Friday.  The retail crowd have the bit in their teeth, and need a sharp lesson.

 

Put Christ back into Christmas and don't give any presents worth more than $10 or, preferably, hand-craft them yourself. 

 

I've stopped sending cards for occasions where I am expected to send them by the greeting card industry.  If I want to greet someone I send them a personally composed e-mail.

 

The stores around me went into Christmas mode right after Halloween.  I consider this to be utter retail cynicism and the whole retail sector needs a very sharp come-downance.  Before you know it, they'll be advertising Easter.

[ROFLyoshi 1,760]

Don't they get paid extra?

I do at least, but not all do.

[simlink 1,098]

The store I work at is closed on most stat holidays, including Thanksgiving and Labour Day and Christmas. Reduced hours on Christmas eve. Open Boxing Day.

@Nonny: The local area The Bay store had Christmas decorations up before halloween here. Same ones as every year. Starting to look a little drab.

[LexusInfernus 908]

I do at least, but not all do.

 

Really? There are places that make you work on holidays and don't even pay you extra? Damn....

[Fatherted 129]

Wait, you guys don't advertise Easter?

I have no problem with them opening, no employees are forced to go. Take a holiday day if you must.

Capitalism is a fundamental pillar in US society. You guys seem to want the best of it (frequent holidays, large paychecks, conveniece) but not the worst of it (loss of tradition, perverted values (Easter eggs?), company dominance, overinflated value). For god's eternal sake people, make your minds up? Are you communist, socialist, capitalist, imperialists, anarchist? You can't be everything!

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

America is a "melting pot" of peoples and traditions.  Who knows what dreck floats to the surface in all that heat.  There is a lot of noise but not much light, and especially not freedom as we know it.  Capitalism in the U.S. has the bit in its teeth and most people are too apathetic or complacent to see this and call out a good trainer.  In the U.S. democracy died long ago from a bad case of selfishness.

 

Democracy

Democracy De*moc"ra*cy (d[-e]*m[o^]k"r[.a]*s[y^]), n.; pl.
 Democracies (d[-e]*m[o^]k"r[.a]*s[i^]z). [F. d['e]mocratie,
 fr. Gr. dhmokrati`a; dh^mos the people + kratei^n to be
 strong, to rule, kra`tos strength.]

 

 1. Government by the people; a form of government in which
 the supreme power is retained and directly exercised by
 the people.
 [1913 Webster]

 2. Government by popular representation; a form of government
 in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but
 is indirectly exercised through a system of representation
 and delegated authority periodically renewed; a
 constitutional representative government; a republic.
 [1913 Webster]

 3. Collectively, the people, regarded as the source of
 government. --Milton.
 [1913 Webster]

 4. The principles and policy of the Democratic party, so
 called. [u.S.]
 [1913 Webster]
 
    -- From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

 

Or to put it in a nutshell:  "Government of the People, by the People, and for the People" - A. Lincoln.  -- my emphasis.

 

Both Congress and the Administration seem to have forgotten this.

[LexusInfernus 908]

What has the government got to do with stores being open on a holiday? Its non of their business to regulate that (except perhaps mandate that people who work on holidays get paid extra). 

 

What people also seem to forget is that Capitalism in essence is democratic. But instead of voting by going to a voting stand, you vote using your wallet. So, don't like the business practices of a certain company? Don't go there, don't buy there and don't reward them with your money. So, if you don't want stores to be open on a holiday, don't go there and don't buy anything. 

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

No, Capitalism is hierarchical.  It wants a leader at the top who got there by climbing over others.  The workers never get to vote for these people.

[LexusInfernus 908]

No, Capitalism is hierarchical.  It wants a leader at the top who got there by climbing over others.  The workers never get to vote for these people.

Capitalism doesn't let you vote for leaders (not directly at least) but it does let you vote for modes of behavior. Look, its really simple. Companies want what is profitable for them. But if behaving in a certain kind of way actually cuts into their profits, then they will stop doing it. Hence, if you want companies to close on thanksgiving, don't buy their anything at them during thanksgiving. If no one buys, staying open on thanksgiving is not profitable enough, so next time they close. 

 

But of course, if enough people do go and shop on thanksgiving, you have no leg to stand on when it comes to complaining. In that case, the consumers have spoken. 

[Duke87 1,070]

Honestly what this trend says to me is that people are progressively taking Thanksgiving less and less seriously. Which is somewhat understandable, the idea of a day to give thanks is no longer quite consistent with the prevailing American attitude towards life. For a lot of people it's just a day to stuff yourself, which makes it little different from days like Memorial Day (just a day to have a barbecue). To that end I'm sure there is a significant demographic to whom the idea of eating Thanksgiving dinner and then going out shopping afterwards sounds quite appealing. And, concurrently, there is likely also a demographic that does not terribly mind being told "we need you at work at 7:30 PM on Thanksgiving", even if it sounds horrid to those of us who still have more traditional habits.

 

I don't shop on Thanksgiving regardless of principle because I will be busy spending time with family. But I do avoid the madhouse that is shopping on Black Friday simply because I hate madhouses. People have gotten killed, maimed, and arrested due to doorbuster sale drama. And I'd rather walk into a store and buy something uneventfully than compete with 100 other people to be one of 10 to get the item for a really low price.

 

Past years I've spend Black Friday doing random whatever, but not shopping. This year I'll be working (albeit likely from home rather than in the office), so double meh to the drama.

 

Even still, if people want to be crazy, let them I say. No skin off my nose, I'm gonna just not be involved, thanks.

What I would get behind regulating, however, is the insanity of how soon Christmas decorations go up. Because that actually is of general public concern and does effect me personally: by dragging the holiday season out you just cause people more stress, which isn't good for public health. Christmas decorations went up above the streets in my neighborhood on Halloween (ghosts, ghouls, and tinsel?). THAT crap has got to stop. Get me an ordinance that says no displaying Christmas decorations in public before Black Friday (or after January 7th, I suppose) and I'm behind it 110%.

[ROFLyoshi 1,760]

I'm just waiting for Love Day to take off, to be honest...

[APSMS 1,892]

The only issue I have with commercialization of these holidays (because let's face it, we live in a secular world, and as much as I would love for America to enforce Christianity I am equally glad that such is not the case, for perhaps obvious reasons I think are currently unimportant to the discussion), is that at the same time that businesses promote such holidays for their own personal monetary gain (again, no real problem here), society and said businesses try to remove the holy from the holiday. In San Diego there was a celebration called Christmas on the Prado, that started out as a simple Caroling session in Balboa Park. It has since grown to encompass the entire park for two nights on the first weekend in December, but has since dropped the name Christmas on the Prado, instead opting for "December Nights" which would be fine if it weren't for the fact that they are capitalizing on Christmas celebrations (the decorations, themes, and dress are all still present) but have refused to even acknowledge the whole reason for the existence of the festivities.

 

This is what bothers me the most about commercialization. Argue all you want about ruining the true spirit of Christmas--as far as I'm concerned the true spirit was always in personal experiences anyway (A Charlie Brown Christmas, anyone?). It's when they want to secularize and prostitute themselves and the holiday so much that they will even remove the reason for their existence and success from their event name that it bothers me. As if thanksgiving were a shopping day anyway! I'm sort of surprised people would be willing to work. Now I do know some stores that are open on this day, but most of them close by lunch, for obvious reasons. I can't imagine why any American (immigrant or native) would want to work on a day like that.

 

Honestly, if thanksgiving were simply celebrating turkey, I doubt it'd be such a big deal. Similarly (in America, anyway) if December Nights was Hanukkah themed, how much money do you think the event would produce? No offense against Jews, but let's face it, Christmas is the bigger holiday in America, so it's sort of obvious what's going on here. I say call a spade a spade. If you wanted to remove Christmas, then you ought to go all out with it and commit to a secular celebration, not some pseudo-non-religious nonsense that ends the moment you see Rudolph, Christmas decorations, and Christmas traditions from around the globe. I'd post a link to the event, but I don't support it anymore; you'll have to do a Google search to see what I mean.

[Duke87 1,070]

I'm just waiting for Love Day to take off, to be honest...

 

Oh don't you worry, the heart shaped candies and other crap will be in stores right after new year's. One holiday to the next, without fail.

 

 

I do, however, appreciate the wisdom of a friend of mine who said his favorite four days of the year are November 1st, December 26th, February 15th, and the Monday after Easter - because each of those days what's left of the previous holiday's candy can be purchased at massively discounted prices.

[ROFLyoshi 1,760]

December 26th is my birthday. Since its our equivalent of Black Friday, I get cheap birthday shopping.

[SteveMSim 275]

There are now secular holidays at this time of the year, such as Kwanzaa, an African-American holiday that spans December 26 to January 2.  I've heard Christmas carols being played over a store's intercom last week.  In recent years, a couple of local radio stations would go to an all-Christmas music format by this time.  And an increasing number of retailers are having Christmas in July sales. 

 

Fortunately I live in a neighborhood where the homeowners' association code prohibits the putting up of Christmas decorations until the day after Thanksgiving and requires them to be taken down by the Sunday after New Year's Day.

[Duke87 1,070]

Does anyone actually celebrate Kwanzaa? I mean, it was invented by an African studies professor in the 1960s, it's not like there's a long tradition behind it. It had some traction there for a while and I remember being taught about it in school back in the 90s, but I get the impression that nowadays most people have kinda realized how dumb and contrived it is and stopped caring.

[ROFLyoshi 1,760]

As Morgan Freeman said, "Black history is American history." I feel that celebrating Kwanzaa is silly and would lead to more distances between people of different races.

And although Kwanzaa may be "secular", it is still only open to a certain group of people so it is in a way, like religious holidays.

As Morgan Freeman said, "Black history is American history." I feel that celebrating Kwanzaa is silly and would lead to more distances between people of different races.

And although Kwanzaa may be "secular", it is still only open to a certain group of people so it is in a way, like religious holidays.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Let's just say that anyone who shops on Thanksgiving is a turkey and deserves to be served with cranberry sauce.

[clhigh7 583]

I used to work in the food service industry at a popular chain here in Texas. All of our locations are open 24hours every day except christmas day. There were a handful of people who did not care for the holiday seasons and wanted to work. I would never want to work on Christmas or Thanksgiving. I think if stores are going to open on these holidays it should be up to the individual location based on how many people choose to work that day. I find it insane that people would be out shopping on Thanksgiving. I might be able to understand if someone forgot groceries for dinner but still... be like my Grandmother and effectively plan ahead! She stays up for 3 days before Thanksgiving day getting everything ready.

 

http://www.thebraiser.com/costcos-closed-for-thanksgiving/

 

Edit: just stumbled upon this article about Costco closing for Thanksgiving. Nice, I should build more of those in my cities!