Thanksgiving Boycott

Though Thanksgiving is not an official feast of the Catholic Church, I think it is one of the loveliest "holy days" of the entire year.  During this season of giving thanks, you see much generosity in meals for the homebound, elderly, homeless.  Over the years Thanksgiving Day has been blessedly free of commerce -- until now.  Creeping commercialism is threatening this more-or-less "stores closed" zone of one 24 hour day.  

News reports over the past two weeks tell us that many major retail stores (including Macy's, Walmart, Kmart, Target, Sears, Penney's, Kohl's, and a host of smaller shops) are planning to be open on Thanksgiving Day in the evening.  "Black Friday" openings have been drawing closer to Thanksgiving Day (first 6:00 a.m., then 4:00 a.m., then midnight).  Now many malls and shopping centers will be open on Thanksgiving Day itself.  

I think this commercialism of a day our country devotes to family, food, faith (and a little football) is atrocious.  At Masses this past Sunday I appealed to parishioners to pledge not to shop anywhere on Thanksgiving Day.  I was amazed to get applause at two of my four Masses, and many came up to me after Masses to thank me for mentioning this appeal.  

The only way to oppose this is by doing nothing.  Shop on Wednesday.  Shop on Black Friday (even at 4:00 a.m., if you are crazy enough to awaken then).  Shop on-line.  Plan ahead to have what you need for cooking and enjoying the turkey and trimmings.  But boycott any and every store (including food stores, convenience stores and gas stations) on Thanksgiving Day itself.

I feel for the workers who do have to work on Thanksgiving Day (such as police officers, fire fighters, EMTs, nurses and aides and doctors in hospitals and nursing homes, folks at airports and hotels).  There is no need for other stores to be open on Thanksgiving Day.  You would think that 363 days of availability (excepting Thanksgiving and Christmas) would be enough for these  companies.  

If you agree with this idea, pass it on to your family members and friends.  Do not shop on Thanksgiving Day.  Give thanks to God for your blessings, and have a wonderful time with your loved ones that day.

  

An embarrassing post-script.  I wrote this blog post on Wednesday, November 20, but somehow failed to publish it on the blog BEFORE Thanksgiving.  Oh well.  Nobody listens to me anyhow.  Black Friday sales (with Thanksgiving Day openings) increased 1.3% over 2012.