I don’t love the idea of shopping on Thanksgiving. I’m not shopping, and that’s my choice. So why do I care if stores are open or closed on THanksgiving?
I think I care because I feel badly for the people that have to work so that people can shop.
In this uber-connected world where we can do and get anything we want at almost any time, I love the idea of taking a day off. I love the idea of a day devoted to thanks, and if not thanks, at least perhaps a little rest. I think we as a nation could use big collective deep breath. And Thanksgiving affords the perfect opportunity for that.
(I know that there are a lot of family cooks gearing up to serve dozens in their homes who aren’t thinking of the day as restful, but that’s another blog. And those who can’t take a deep breath due to family tension, well, that’s more than a blog.)
I believe that celebrity chef Michael Symon summed it up perfectly. He said, “My restaurants are never opened on Thanksgiving; I want my staff to spend time with their family if they can. My feeling is, if I can’t figure out how to make money the rest of the year so that my workers can enjoy the holidays, then I don’t deserve to be an owner.”
Isn’t that great? And I think it hits home because it’s about the idea that Thanksgiving is bigger than the almighty dollar, at least to him, and to me, and to others.
Here are some retailers that will be closed on Thanksgiving:
– American Girl (I’m pretty sure what they’ve made off of me alone can sustain them for the day)
– T.J. Maxx
– HomeDepot
– CostCo
– Barnes & Noble- Neiman Marcus
– Nordstrom
– Crate & Barrel
– Dillards
– GameStop
(Editd to add: You can find a full list of stores closed in 2015 here.)
Of course, a big shout out to those who work on Thanksgiving not so that people can shop, but so that people can be safe and healthy. Thank you to the policemen and women, the firemen and women and all those medical professionals who work because we need them.
How do you feel about shopping on Thanksgiving? Let me know if you agree, or if you think I’m wackier than your crazy great aunt who is coming to Thanksgiving in the comments below.
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