WHERE IS THANKSGIVING?!?!?
I stopped and looked around...and thought for a minute...after all I've had a HUGE uproar in my life here lately and I've been foggy and just existing but I thought.... no... Have you ever had to pull your phone out to check the date 'cause you seriously are so lost you think you've missed weeks?!? Ok...maybe that's just me but '...I'm sorry. I use to be a strong man...' ( come on! It's from the Wedding Singer! ) Anyways! I actually said out loud (cause someone answered me! ) "What the HELL happened to Thanksgiving?" The voice answered, "It wasn't making them enough money." The voice belonged to a person but the voice was wearing a hoodie and chubby and gave you hints of Pat. ( Saturday Night Live?!? Tell me someone is getting these and I'm NOT the only person that plays this game. )
I kinda giggled in acknowledgment and the voice pointed to the Halloween clearance and said there was some fall looking stuff in the Halloween. So...over I went. "Thanksgiving/Fall" was clearanced out! 3ish weeks to go till Thanksgiving and it's clearanced out! Oh...but where was the Christmas stuff?!?!
Displayed, hung up, ticketed, bright and shiny, tinseled, foiled, dangling with cheer. Now, I'm no bah humbugger but COME ON!!!!!! We celebrate HOLIDAYS not A holiday! (Don't get me started on Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. I think my local stores are confused by my yearly requests for these things as I have something Christmassy in hand and am white. By the way, does anyone else set up a menorah and kinara for their children to learn about them despite not being Jewish or African American? ) Why is Thanksgiving (and other holidays) not being acknowledged?
Thanksgiving is a celebration of life. After all, if the Wampanoag tribe hadn't been so generous and gave food to the Pilgrims they would have starved. Thanksgiving is a celebration about how man can be civil and empathise. It's not about religion or God although I personally believe that we honor God by our treatment to others and thank God for the food upon our table. It's not about gifts or expensive doings. It's about simplicity, being grateful for those within reach of our arms and hands, it's about sharing what we have and others sharing what they have. Thanksgiving ISN'T about decorations or what some fat guy left or didn't leave behind. It's not about Wise Men (which is a miracle in itself for WISE men to be found...) or a specific group of people or even a specific date...
Canada, the Netherlands, America, Spain...all have a Thanksgiving Day. Officially the Spanish celebrated North America's first "European" Thanksgiving in Florida in the 15something or others. The Native Americans celebrated Thanksgiving with feasts regularly. So why...when there is an event that brings people be they white, black ,atheist ,believer ,young, old, rich or poor is it NOT celebrated or at least given a few weeks to stand proud?
There's a movement going through the 'net. Folks are boycotting stores that have Christmas decorations up already. I've complained to my local stores. I've called Walmart TWICE...somehow I'm never connected with someone. I'm REALLY thinking about writing a letter to the editor of our local paper. If you are tired of big business making celebrations out to be about the 'ol mighty dollar let your stores know you will not be frequenting them as long as they have decorations for a holiday that's TWO MONTHS AWAY! And has other holidays BEFORE IT!!!!
AND!!!!! Until our Jewish friends moved away I struggled to find cards or decorations or household items for Hanukkah. At least I don't HAVE to send them a handmade card now 'cause I can pick one of the TWO that's offered as well as the ONE gift bag with a menorah on it. I swear...if I was Jewish...I'd be one ticked off momma. There is a synagogue in our town...how about a little SOMETHING for them. How do you Jewish mommas not boycott it all? Doesn't the inequality or lack of representation bother you?
Wally World aka Walmart, Meijers, and Joann's (oh...how that one's going to hurt!) ...until you stop with the decorating I'll be forced to spend my funds else where. And, despite my calling and firmly believing Walmart is the Devil, I do spend a LOT of money there.... (It too, like my love of techno music, is a secret shame.) Did you know that Walmart removed a shirt with Lucy from Snoopy that said "Someday a women will be President" because it DIDN'T REPRESENT FAMILY VALUES?!?! (I'd make another comment but I have to say I do believe women kind dodged a bullet this past election. And what's up with TLC?!? ...And...we're back from the tangent!) But....ignoring the whole generations of family and friends gathered about the table, eating, being grateful and thankful together isn't....
So...from this moment on...crap...I should have hit some of that clearanced fall decorations for Thanksgiving...I WILL NOT be shopping at Walmart, Meijers, Joann's or any other store or restaurant that has Christmas decorations up before Thanksgiving Day. I'd like to say stores have to wait until November 1st to put up Hanukkah stuff but...seriously...we live in Hill Jack country where they'd think you were frugal for not lighting the rest of the candles. The card aisle is about as festive as you're gonna get. Joanns did have a whole freestanding rack though... And Kwanzaa?....there's still KKK rallies.
See why we're SO wanting to move? Our "Patchouli stink"....(yeah...that's another one....who knows it?!) just doesn't fit in amongst the 'High Karate Cologne' and 'imposter fragrances.' (Good grief but I sound all uppity/broom stuck up the butt there! ;) )
Bye Bye stores and restaurants that celebrate A holiday. Please share stores and restaurants that honor the HOLIDAYS. I also seriously need a platter for Thanksgiving...know where I can find a nice one?
Honey
Honey, I do agree with you, that all the holidays are way to commerialized! Thats why you do not see alot for Thanksgiving, because (besides food) we do not buy gifts for each other for this holiday. Haloween we need candly, and costumes and decorations, Christmas,Kwanza and Hanukkah are all gift giving holidays, Thanksgiving just is not, so from the buisness persons point of view (whos job is to make money) they do not spend time of money to seel things for this holiday because it does not make them as much money as the others do. Now Here in MA there is not as much "stuff" for Hanukkah but there is a great deal of it around, but NOT for Kwanza? (I dont know why?) I might be able to get you to be able to shop in Joanns again...ready....they NEED to have thier holiday things out early...for those of use who make chistmas crafts,present etc...it takes time, some years I start in the summer and I need to have Christmas items available then....so I think you could give Joanns a second chance, but I DONT agree with the other stores..they should have to wait! or atlease keep the Thanksgiving/Fall items off the clearance rack untill after Thanksgiving, and more for the other holidays too! This is a great post I hope others join in on the conversation, I am curiose to hear how it is in other parts of the country! Take a deep relaxing breath Honey the holiday season is just beginning!!! -"Thankfully yours" Kerry
ReplyDeleteI totally agree on this. That is the world we live in... moneymoneymoneymoney .... Thanksgiving in Canada comes before Halloween, so it's a bit different in a sense that you cannot notice how Christmas is a way more important holiday then Thanksgiving for sellers, but it would be the same if our Thanksgiving is on the same date like yours (and this is already ridiculous, right? But, OK, I can live with that). What I've noticed, and I might be wrong about it, is that they start putting events earlier every year - for example, this year they have Santa coming to our Shopping mall (!!!!!!!!argh!) in a helicopter (!!!!) on 15th of November!!!!! And, of course, he is bringing his professional photographer with himself as well as with helpers (for selling the toys, of course). Everything about Christmas in a Wallmart sense (W is perfect representative of our highly commercialized society) is wrong. It's just wrong.
ReplyDeleteHey Kerry! See, I beleive there is a difference between the craft stuff like fabric, yarn, foam, glue etc. used to make presents and the pre lit tree on display next to the Santa shop, 4 rows of Santas polyester stuffed elves and 'rocking around the christmas tree' santa. THAT's what irritates the hell out of me. We're having our first entirely handmade Christmas (pray for me 'cause oh my gosh is it so much work!) so I've been looking and compiling and such since the summer when I saw the ads for Christmas stuff. But it's not ads for yards of fabric, ribbon or trim...it's an ad or aisle or a quarter section of the store devoted to premade/assembled in/chocking hazard/increase your electric bill/not going to a green company or momma business but some rich white guy (sorry fat cats are always weaslie white guys in suits.) that flys around in a helicopter saying I want a Wally World there. Or it's made in a country that doesn't care about safety and our govenrnment is too lazy to enforce safety standards until some kids a choked to death or lose some fingers. If Joann's were sporting aisle after aisle of fabrics be it Halloween, Kwanzaa, Hanaukahh, Ramidan, 4th of July I wouldn't have an issue...but the pre made stuff....no...
ReplyDeleteOn a side note I think there should be a year round assortment of fabrics for all the seasons/events. After all...I saw a REALLY cute Valentine Advent the other day and thought...hummmm I'm kinda sick of the fall and winter colors. I want some lovely pinks and purples.
Yeah...I miss Joanns as I hadn't hit them for about a week before my post and I'm TWEAKIN' people! Ben's loving it as so far he's figuring I've saved about 50 bucks. I LOVE Joanns. We're always making stuff but I figure this is good as I'm actually completly crafting from my stash like I was supposed to....
:) Honey
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I was thinking the same thing and blogged about it in a slightly different (yet not quite as witty) way.
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/38l4gpx
I'd love to follow your boycott of stores that decorate too early. But you know what? I can't find one that hasn't. As much as I'd like to NOT buy anything from a business that doesn't have their priorities right (IMHO), it's seemingly impossible.
Will you let us know if you find stores that fit the bill? I'll gladly make a trip to spend my money there!