Stores open on Thanksgiving...a rant

[Rastoff]

I have worked all the holidays. When I was on active duty and after while working a second job to make ends meet. We do what we need to in order to take care of our families.

With the advent of the two income family, our entire family dynamic has changed. Now, many families celebrate holidays on days other than the one marked on the calendar.

 

[Beemerguy53]

You're joking right?
You think that people that fills out an app for Wally's, Sears, JCPenny, any place in the mall, ToysRus etc are the only humans on the planet that don't know those stores will do more business on that single day than the rest of the year combined?

I hope they don't read this thread. It'll burst their bubble.

Let's see...I want a job where I won't have to work on Black Friday. Oh, I know, a big box retail store in the mall. Surely THOSE aren't the kinds of places that ask you to work on Black Friday.


Sgt Lumpy

The post you're criticizing didn't mention Black Friday...it referenced working on Thanksgiving Day. Everybody in retail expects to have to work on the day after Thanksgiving...I don't think they expect to have to leave their families at home and report to work on Thanksgiving Day.

 

[Beemerguy53]

Vote with your $. I do very little for Christmas. Its not about gift giving or even "time with family". To a Christian, you are to celebrate the birth of your Savior. If you are of the world, its a consumerist holiday. We each have to decide. We cant serve two masters.

Excellent point here! Many Americans have forgotten what this holiday season is really all about.

For many years, I have refused to accept Christmas gifts from my family. I point out that I am fortunate enough to have everything I need, and to be able to buy what I want, within reason. I ask my sons to contribute to charity instead, and give to those who really do need that money and will do good with it.

I do give Christmas gifts to my sons and a few close friends, but I don't go overboard.

 

[hangnoose]

THANKSGIVING/RETAIL

Many people today would give thanks if they had a job at all to go to, regardless of the day or shift.

 

[Beemerguy53]

Many people today would give thanks if they had a job at all to go to, regardless of the day or shift.

You know, I think that's exactly what many merchants and marketers are counting on when they decide to open on Thanksgiving Day...they think their employees are so happy to have a job that they'll work those holidays without objection.

And again, for those who don't get it: Everyone in retail expects to have to work on Black Friday, that's not what this thread is about. It's about merchants opening on the holiday itself, thus devaluing the holiday and forcing their employees to give up the time they would spend with their families. I think that's wrong.

 

[the ringo kid]

I share your sentiments. I have never understood the whole Black Friday thing...how much stress and trouble is saving a few bucks worth? Every year, we see news reports about people acting like wild animals at various stores, pushing and shoving and worse as they vie for some deal or another. And shopping on Thanksgiving? No way! As I've noted in previous posts, having a major holiday off is such a rare experience for me that I will savor every minute of it with my family and friends; shopping can wait for some other day.

In Germany, where I visit regularly, stores are closed on Sundays. You can buy gasoline, and you can get a meal in a restaurant, but that's about it; everything else is closed. It's a little inconvenient for those of us accustomed to American culture, but there is something very laid back and relaxing about it as well.

Though I loved being in Germany myself, being there after 6PM Sat till Monday--reminded me of when Carter was Pres when he passed that insane "Blue Law" which cost all kinds of businesses loads of revenue. A few weeks or months after that stupid law was enacted, a few businesses at a time started opening on Sundays and the law rapidly went "South."

 

[the ringo kid]

Doesn't bother me a bit. I've worked jobs that required me to work Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Easter, and every other holiday you can think of all my life. My family and I managed to survive them, and still spend time together.

I had Christmas off only once when I was working for the State of Texas--and none of the Thanksgivings. I got my first Christmas off the first year I worked for the state--ONLY because I was the one who won a shift lottery for that day off. Im used to missing out family time on holidays.

 

[the ringo kid]

I heard that Walmart was getting in extra shipments of .22LR and selling for half price on Thanksgiving before noon. I anticipate a very slow morning on the Forum.

Carry on.

Sorry, I don't buy that because--it aint April 1st yet. )

 

[jaykellogg]

Let me (again) point out that the retailers would just as soon close on holidays. The amount of goods sold for Christmas is probably a fixed number (note it varies year to year). Who sells it is important to the sellers. If one store opens Thanksgiving, the pressure is intense for all to open. With the internet today, to compete against online retailers these stores apparently feel they must open on Thanksgiving. When I was much younger the blue laws kept most retail stores closed on Sundays. The small town I grew up in had two pharmacies and they took turns being open Sunday. After they did away with the blue laws the stores all opened on Sunday, but I doubt they sold any more in seven days than they did before in six. It just added to their overhead.

 

[SmokeStack Lightning]

It's just more proof of who is running the country, now.

Corporations!!!

Now, the Corporations are taking away American Holidays!!

Next on the chopping block: LABOR DAY!!

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

I give a tip of the hat and a vote of thanks for those in the Armed Services, Police, Firefighters, 911 dispatchers, trauma personnel and other essential, life-saving occupations who DO have to work 24/7/365 in order that the general public (me) can go about whatever they do more safely, regardless of what day it may be.

Thanks. This year my son has to work both Thanksgiving and Christmas (he is a para-medic) this will be a first for our family so we will just wait to celebrate each until the entire family can get together.

 

[hangnoose]

WHICH THANKSGIVING WHINE?

Your kids HAVE JOBS, and are healthy enough to work them, that should be reason enough to give thanks (the whole point of the holiday). There are a whole lot of others much worse off that would love to have your problems. Count your blessings. Who said life was fair? Cowboy up.

 

[wbraswell]

It's just more proof of who is running the country, now.

Corporations!!!

Now, the Corporations are taking away American Holidays!!

Next on the chopping block: LABOR DAY!!

I'll disagree with that. As for this thread, the corporations are just doing what the consumers want. Why do you think all those crazy shoppers are out there? Because they LOVE it!

 

[mike from st pete]

Wasn't it Calvin Coolidge that said "The business of America is business"?

I for one will be doing as little spending as I can get away with for the next six weeks.

Mass demand has been created almost entirely through the development of advertising.
Read more at Mass demand has been created almost entirely through the development of advertising. - Calvin Coolidge at BrainyQuote

 

[vt_shooter]

Turning the holidays themselves into "shopping opportunities" effectively robs us of what made the holiday enjoyable to start with. I refuse to patronize a store on a major holiday.

 

[oldillini]

For the last several years I have boycotted Black Friday and all of the retailers involved. I think they have gone over the top by starting ot open on Thanksgiving Day itself. But they will continue as long as people continue to pass through their doors. And as long as the stores offer those great deals on those early hours, people will go.

 

[Comrad]

I'll disagree with that. As for this thread, the corporations are just doing what the consumers want. Why do you think all those crazy shoppers are out there? Because they LOVE it!

Most of these new breed of consumers are not what we once were, flag waving, church going, respectful groups of people with roots in the places we lived.

The new breed aren't interested in that way of life. Mostly what they love are themselves. Sad end to what was once a pretty good thing we had going here.

 

[Wee Hooker]

Thirty years ago, I had a part time job working for Cumberland Farms Convenience stores while in college. Just before the holidays, I got "promoted" to assistant manager. With that title came exactly 10 cents/hour raise( to $5.35/hr as I recall). So the weekend before Thanksgiving, the store manager shows me the work schedule and noted "I made out getting to work Thanksgiving day instead of Christmas day (The other manager got that one.) It got better though! The company, realizing the burden that we were taking on, authorized us to sign out (at the end of my holiday shift) :
- one can cranberry sauce
- one can canned pumpkin
- 1/2 gal of store brand ice cream
- 1 store brand loaf of bread.

I'll never forget it as it turned out to be a defining moment in my career as a budding ***-istant Manager. I'm guessing he scored my can of pumpkin my on Thanksgiving day as I certainly wasn't there to collect them.

 

[thebeamanater107]

Capitalism and freedom... If I can make money, I will.

Let them open the stores. Don't blame the companies that unlock the doors and turn the lights on for the masses going crazy over $50 discount for a tv or Xbox.

the original point and click interface, by Smith and Wesson

 

[DeadAye]

Will the food court be serving turkey & dressing?
Seems fair.