Is there really anything wrong with shopping on Thanksgiving?
Ok, throw some ice water on yourself before you read this post so you don’t overheat because I know it’s a HOT BUTTON topic. But really, is there really anything wrong with shopping on Thanksgiving?
Yes, I love my family. Yes, I love Jesus. Yes, I love the holidays. But I love to shop. Why can’t I shop on Thanksgiving? If the stores choose to be open, why can’t I shop?
Am I contributing to the decline of American society?
Am I tearing people away from their families?
You might say yes. But I don’t think so.
Would it change your opinion of me if I told you that my husband works retail and has worked 8 out of the last 10 Thanksgivings? And I’m okay with that?
Wait, what? It doesn’t bother you that your husband has to work on Thanksgiving?
Well, no, it doesn’t. We’ve adjusted. We gather with family at alternate times. We are thankful he has a job. Thanksgiving is not just a holiday, it’s an attitude. I’m thankful to live in a free country where I can do what I want on Thanksgiving or any other day of the year. And you know what, the stores are free to decide if they want to be open or not. I’m not going to be mad at the stores that do open anymore than I would be mad at the ones that choose to stay closed.
I’ve asked a few people over the last couple years while doing my shopping on Thanksgiving about working on Thanksgiving. I always make small talk with the cashiers anyway, so I would just ask, “Do you have big plans later?”, “How long do you have to work today?”, etc. And you know what I’ve found? Most of them don’t mind. They are getting extra pay, for which they are thankful. Their shift is over a little earlier than normal and they are headed home to be with their family later. Or in the evening, they had just come in after spending the day with their family. Or in some instances, they had no family in the area and would just be sitting at home by themselves so why not work and make the time and half? A lot of them were asked to work, or volunteered, not forced too.
I hear the argument all the time that you should “make sure you have what you need for the day ahead of time”. I asked the question once that what if you forgot an ingredient, burned something or your kid got sick and needed medicine and nothing was open on Thanksgiving Day? To which I got answers like “Well, one store could be open.” Or “A store with a pharmacy might stay open.” So who is to decide which stores deserve to stay open and which ones are vilified for doing so? Why is CVS opening at 8am okay but Kohl’s opening at 6pm not?
What about gas stations? Should they stay open? What about restaurants? If traveling is a big part of some people’s Thanksgiving plans, shouldn’t they be able to buy gas and grab some food on the road?
I don’t see anyone boycotting hotels because they don’t shutter up on Thanksgiving.
How many “anti-shopping on Thanksgiving” advocates would be livid if they couldn’t get some cough syrup or fever reducer for their kid who suddenly took ill over the night? If you’re not going to shop on Thanksgiving, that’s fine and dandy. But it’s different when it affects you. If everything were closed and you NEEDED something, how would you feel then?
Is it just because they’re retail stores? Because it’s retail it’s consumerism at it’s worst but everything else open on Thanksgiving day is okay because it’s not stuff?
Are we so desperate as a society to point fingers and judge that we want to say “YOU! You are EVIL for working/shopping/leaving the house/not being with your family on Thanksgiving!” But to the nurse, the gas station attendant or the front desk clerk at the local Motel 6 we say, “It’s ok. I understand.”
And then it breeds anger. And to me that’s the bigger issue. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but people are MAD. Mad about stores being open. Spewing hatred and heated arguments. Name calling. Judging.
Suddenly your “I would never shop on Thanksgiving” attitude becomes “I am better than you because I’m not being a materialistic consumerist” when you know nothing about me. And you want to yell at me or people like me because we are ruining America. When you don’t know that people in MY family are working. So being able to get out of the house for a little while is nice. Yes, I might be getting a few deals, but I’m mostly just out doing what I like to do, shopping – even if it’s just a little window shopping.
Can we really say we have a heart of gratitude when we are creating arguments and divisions and passing judgments?
And to those that argue, “If you want to shop on Thanksgiving, just do it online” please know that there are customer service/call center reps on the other side of the computer that will be working to assist you if you need it while making your online purchases.
What do you say ? Sound off in the comments but please be nice!
And while you’re here, check out the list of Thanksgiving 2014 store hours.
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