Day 56 - Off for Five Days
Thanksgiving is an interesting holiday in the United States in that it is a wholly-secular holiday that neatly fits into any religious, historical, or even philosophical inclination that a person might have. It is also the only holiday that is two days long, being the last Thursday and Friday of the month of November. None of the other holidays on the calendar are recognized as such. It is a good way to take a single day of vacation and be away from work for five days.
It saddens me greatly that the commercial need to get dollars out of the pockets of consumers into the till (virtual and physical) that "Black Friday" starts at 4 PM on Thanksgiving Day at some retailers. This means that a holiday set aside in the darkest days of the US Civil War does not apply to the clerks, shop keepers, and store managers around the whole of the country, all in the name of speeding up the transaction of dollars. These are the same dollars that would spent anyhow, just a few hours later, so why is it that it is acceptable to open the store doors on Thanksgiving? To mean, I find this reprehensible and am saddened greatly that the American consumer seems willing to participate in this at the expense of their fellow citizens.
I understand that they will get double their hourly pay and there are numerous occupations that require continuous staffing, but selling waffle irons at Wal-Mart? Does that really have the same vitality as a nurse working in the hospital or a police officer reporting for duty, while their families tuck into the Thanksgiving turkey? It saddens me and I will not participate. Not this year, not ever. Thanksgiving Day should be a day off for everyone, clerks and CEOs alike.
We will be traveling the day before and after to visit our friend advinius's family in Pennsylvania. With him overseas on an extended "business assignment" (there is no Thanksgiving there, ever, for anyone unfortunately), J. and I felt that we could show our support for the troops by visiting with at least one family. With his father-in-law having passed away and his absence, it seemed that Thanksgiving would ring very hallow this year, so we planned the trip and the boys are very, very excited to go. Thankfully, we have their van to drive down while ours is in the shop.
It saddens me greatly that the commercial need to get dollars out of the pockets of consumers into the till (virtual and physical) that "Black Friday" starts at 4 PM on Thanksgiving Day at some retailers. This means that a holiday set aside in the darkest days of the US Civil War does not apply to the clerks, shop keepers, and store managers around the whole of the country, all in the name of speeding up the transaction of dollars. These are the same dollars that would spent anyhow, just a few hours later, so why is it that it is acceptable to open the store doors on Thanksgiving? To mean, I find this reprehensible and am saddened greatly that the American consumer seems willing to participate in this at the expense of their fellow citizens.
I understand that they will get double their hourly pay and there are numerous occupations that require continuous staffing, but selling waffle irons at Wal-Mart? Does that really have the same vitality as a nurse working in the hospital or a police officer reporting for duty, while their families tuck into the Thanksgiving turkey? It saddens me and I will not participate. Not this year, not ever. Thanksgiving Day should be a day off for everyone, clerks and CEOs alike.
We will be traveling the day before and after to visit our friend advinius's family in Pennsylvania. With him overseas on an extended "business assignment" (there is no Thanksgiving there, ever, for anyone unfortunately), J. and I felt that we could show our support for the troops by visiting with at least one family. With his father-in-law having passed away and his absence, it seemed that Thanksgiving would ring very hallow this year, so we planned the trip and the boys are very, very excited to go. Thankfully, we have their van to drive down while ours is in the shop.