Thanksgiving shopping protests

[Carrie12345]

I don't shop on Thanksgiving, though I think somewhere between 5 and 10 years ago, dh left after dinner to stand on line for one video game system or another. And I'm sure I've sent him off to the mini mart for milk or eggs or something, so there technically has been shopping.

 

This has been a sore spot for me in the past, but I've softened up over time.  I don't like the idea of *forcing anyone to work Thanksgiving (or Christmas, or Jewish High Holy days, or whatever) if they want to be with their families.  But I think it's becoming pretty clear that there are plenty of people who don't want to spend the entire day, or even any of the day, celebrating in the "culturally appropriate" way.

 

Most Thanksgivings, it's just me, dh, and 4 of our kids.  We eat like overprivileged Americans, watch the parade, think about how fortunate we are, and sit around too bloated to even consider walking to the car.  If we lightened up the menu, lol, perhaps it would be nice to head out after an early dinner to catch a movie, or grab an ice cream, or snag a great deal on a winter coat (that I've been procrastinating on shopping for.)

 

I don't see us doing that, but I'd be more likely to these days than I would have when we spent the day split between two large, traditional family gatherings.  I don't have that any more, and lots of other people don't want or don't have that.  A more mobile society, a greater awareness of the myths of Thanksgiving... just as I don't think people should be forced to work, I don't think it makes any sense to believe everyone should celebrate the "right" way.

 

For the record, my local, family-owned supermarket is closed today.  They stayed open until midnight last night, and we stopped in around 7:30.  The bakery was still cranking out goodies and nearly every employee I've ever seen there was working. We got a pumpkin pie right out of the oven.  :)

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Where I live (Switzerland), retail stores are still closed on Sundays.  Every Sunday.  At first, I thought it was CRAZY!  No immediate availability if we run out of ketchup???  No shopping-as-entertainment on a lazy Sunday afternoon?

 

After 10 years, I have come to really appreciate the "state enforced" family time.   I appreciate this protection of our weekend time.  

 

For Thanksgiving, I can imagine grocery stores being open until noon or so for those last minute food items.  But to RETAIL shop on Thanksgiving, all in the name of a good deal...  and the black Friday madness just makes me sad.  People being trampled?  In fistfights?  All to celebrate baby Jesus's birthday!  Yikes.  

[Jenny in Florida]

FYI I don't work retail, and my employer has made it VERY clear that the Friday is not a paid holiday here. We can choose to use one of our vacation days to take off that day. Or we can come in and work. it is a regular day like any other day. 

 

Of course, but we were talking about stores opening ON Thanksgiving, not the day after.

 

I don't do Black Friday, either, because there is nothing I want badly enough to participate in that craziness.

[Jean in Newcastle]

We discussed this at the Thanksgiving dinner table yesterday.  The young people there (who have all had retail/grocery store/ restaurant jobs) all said that they were happy to work holidays including Thanksgiving.  Family changes the day and time to accommodate others in our family so they never felt left out.  And they were happy for the extra pay and/or tips.  And they said that it got them out of cooking prep.  ;)   Of course, workers have all sorts of different situations and family dynamics and attitudes so you can't make any blanket statements about anything.