Thanksgiving and the Greed of Retailers

English: Inside the Walmart (still branded as ...

English: Inside the Walmart (still branded as Wal-Mart) at West Plains, Missouri. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Article by Wendy McCance

I read an article tonight about how there were several retailers that would be open the evening of Thanksgiving.  The idea was that these retailers are looking to improve their overall bottom line.  They want that jump-start on consumer spending before Black Friday.  Places like Target have employees passing around petitions to stop the store from opening the evening of Thanksgiving.  The worst part is that these companies don’t feel that the extra hours open will make much of a dent in the profit they might make.  Talk about adding insult to injury.

The U.S. has gone through some really hard times these last few years.  Everyone is trying to make extra money any way they know how.  That being said, I think it’s sad that the whole country can’t have one day where there is enough respect for each other that people no matter what their jobs might be have a day to be with friends and family to celebrate a national holiday.

I think about all of the people who have lost their jobs.  I was one of those people.  To start over from scratch and accept a job far below what you have trained for is not a good feeling.  It feels demeaning to work alongside people who are still in high school while you are a middle-aged person.  Your paycheck and benefits (if there are any) make paying the bills and getting by tough and downright scary.

After all of the stress of what most Americans have endured, wouldn’t it be nice if for just one day the country could go silent as the hustle and bustle from the streets was quieted? Families could spent some time relaxing and enjoying the little time they might get to spend together.

I for one will not be shopping on Thanksgiving.  I want to spend my time with my family.  I just wish that employees of these stores had that choice as well.  If an employee wants to spend Thanksgiving at work, that is their choice.  For those employees that want to spend their time at home with their loved ones, I think they should have that option at the very least.  I hope that these big retailers at least have enough respect to give their employees the choice of working.

What are your thought on people having to work on Thanksgiving?  Are you one of those people who do not mind working on that day?  Are you someone who will be shopping on Thanksgiving?  I’d love to hear your thoughts on this subject.

P.S. Great article about Wal-Mart under Yahoo Finance about workers striking on Black Friday.  I wish these workers all the best!

 

 

Wendy McCance

Wendy McCance is a Michigan based freelance writer and social media consultant. Wendy has gained attention as the founder of the popular blog Searching for the Happiness which can be viewed in 6 local papers online, including the Oakland Press.The combination of writing skills and social media knowledge is what makes Wendy such a powerhouse to work with. Stay tuned for opportunities to advertise, guest post and as always, have your questions answered.

To contact Wendy McCance about a writing assignment, interview or speaking engagement, please email her at: [email protected]

15 thoughts on “Thanksgiving and the Greed of Retailers

  1. Pingback: Sharing some love | livingsimplyfree

  2. I was a rotational shift worker for many years and when later trading hours were introduced here in Oz it made life a little easier for those who couldn’t shop in the regular hours. However I feel sorry for people who are forced to work on the major holidays in retail. As far as smaller shops and takeaways are concerned, holiday trading is their bread and butter and they’re usually run by family members anyway. We live in a capitalist society where turnover is paramount and profit is king. So to those who pull the strings and reap in the money a holiday, no matter what the significance is of no consequence.
    Cheers
    Laurie

  3. AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! I would love for someone who makes the policy of working on Thanksgiving to actually work it. I’ll bet s/he is not. For us, Thanksgiving is about cooking together and watching the parade (that I make everyone watch), spending time together, sharing a meal together (which isn’t much different from every other day, quite frankly).
    I agree with one of the previous comments. There is less emphasis on family by not allowing employees to spend Thanksgiving with their families. It is such a shame. If shoppers didn’t shop that day………hmmm I wonder.
    I don’t understand the oxy moron behind this. Black Friday specials are starting early, meaning before Black Friday BUT they have to open Thanksgiving for what again? Why is it Black Friday if the sale is happening on Thursday? Even the term Black Friday seems to be going away. Soon, November 1 will be the new Black Friday.
    BTW: Those poor Target employees protested last year too to no avail, apparently. I will not be shopping on Thanksgiving or Black Friday at 5am. People running other people over to get half off the price of a doll or video game - no thanks. I’ll be eating leftovers, snuggling with my kids, watching It’s A Wonderful Life and getting my toys ready for Toys for Tots. That’s MY tradition!

    Great post! Happy Thanksgiving.

    Karina

    • Hi Karina, thanks so much for your comment. The ironic thing is Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks. How can people feel thankful when even on Thanksgiving you can’t get a break. Personally, I don’t get the intense need for things. You can find just as many great deals from the comfort of the sofa with a laptop in your lap.

      • How many of these people even remember the gift you got them by trampling over the poor person who opened the door for you? I have a shopping directory on my website, but I would never tell someone to give up Thanksgiving to go shopping. Life is too short. Spend it with your loved ones. They might not be with us next year.

        Karina

  4. Let’s look at the reality of it all. We had a bookstore owner would was so excited to comply with the Mall regulations of being open all day Thanksgiving Day and Evening. This would be 22 hours straight of continuous work, during this time. His eyes got big and his smile even bigger. The only character I know was the Greedy Grinch at Christmas.

    Here is the problem as I see it. Thanksgiving was always a time for the family get together, and less and less emphasis is placed on the traditional family anymore, it’s true. It was a time to also remember what we are thankful for. But many looked to WHO they were thankful too. Society in America is squeezing God or Creator, as I view Him, out of the picture. They find a way to ridicule, for example, the football player who makes a touchdown, and then takes a knee, looking up and pointing into the sky.

    Being Native American, I recall a time when all of us once took a knee at a great banquet of Thanksgiving.

    Where eagles fly, Greywolf

  5. Good question. I grew up in a time when most things were closed on Sunday. We could plan and do our shopping on another day. So to think that stores need to be open every day is ridiculous to me. I think there are definitely days that everything could close down and let people find something else to do with their time than shop, Thanksgiving being one. But this goes hand in hand with the need to be open 24 hours a day. Who really needs fast food chains that are open all night? I’m sure if we woke and felt the need to eat something we could find it in our own kitchen. Like you I won’t be shopping on Thanksgiving or Black Friday. I will be with family enjoying their company.

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