November 15 , 2005
OPINIONSHolidays are for spending time, not money
Does anyone remember that special day in November?
I want to say it’s the third Thursday of the month, I know we have school off. Why is that? What was that day?
Oh right, Thanksgiving. I remember now; turkey, pie, cranberry sauce, and candied yams. Not to mention family time.
What a genuinely wonderful idea. A special free day to do nothing but eat and get closer to the people who mean the most to you. Not to mention football and the giant parade that Macy’s has.
So why is it that this fantastic holiday gets swept under the rug by corporate America?
About a month ago they started putting up fake trees and plastic snow in Robinsons-May. That was even a month earlier on Halloween.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas. What I don’t love is how it comes so dang early every year.
Here’s my theory, and it’s really quite simple. Corporate America turns away from Thanksgiving because the only people making money that day are turkey ranchers and cranberry farmers.
So what do they do? Well they try to get you to forget it by shoving Christmas decorations in your face as early as September.
The only reason the corporations haven’t paid to get Thanksgiving removed from the calendar is they like to use it as a springboard to the biggest shopping day of the year i.e. the day after.
My point here is what’s the rush? Why do we have to speed up the holidays? Why is it that so much emphasis is put on the material side of things?
Last year I worked at a retail store. When December hit it was crazy. We stayed open later not so much to make more sales as to let people have more time to be completely rude to us.
I understand that the holidays can be stressful, but I’m pretty sure we do it to ourselves.
If we weren’t so obsessed with getting the perfect gift or saving on the great sales maybe we would remember why we have this time.
I’m pretty sure back before there were Tickle-Me-Elmos and Playstations it wasn’t so much about what was wrapped as who was around when it was unwrapped.
Take advantage of this time of year to be around those you care about. If you are far from home and can’t make it, be sure to call, or maybe even make a video to send home.
Remember the themes of this time of year is giving thanks, to what or whomever you want, peace on Earth, and good will towards men, (and yes women, children, cats and whatever else).
I invite everyone to slowdown this year. Go see the lights on Main Street, or listen to some carolers. Eat as much as you can at Thanksgiving and laugh on your grandma’s couch as you listen to your uncle tell stories about your mom.
Call your out-of-state brother, or your friend from high school you haven’t seen in years. Mow your elderly neighbor’s lawn. Let someone in front of you in line, and be patient and polite to the guy behind the counter.
Be different.
Fight the onslaught of over-commercialized merchandise.
Don’t spend your late nights shopping, make some coco and spend them with dad. In the end I’m saying that you should really spend what is most valuable, time.
You’ll find that it will last longer than the $40 gap sweater that will just end up at Goodwill in a few years anyway.
Volume 43, Issue 6. Today is
