Don't let them wreck Thanksgiving !

What is so great about Thanksgiving?  Out of all the holidays, it is the one that celebrates food and family the most.  It is a time to gather with your family,  eat great food,  talk and laugh.  There is no card buying, no gift giving.  It is a time to reflect on all the good things that we have and to be thankful for them.  It is a time to share recipes and stories and enjoy family memories.

It makes me angry to see how commercialism is starting to chip away at this fine day.  Stores are opening earlier and earlier on Friday, many starting to open on Thanksgiving Day itself.  Businesses are staying open, even my gym was open on Thanksgiving Day.  Don't these employees deserve to have a day off to celebrate a national holiday with their families ?  The whole Christmas shopping mess is stressful enough without  making people guilty if they don't rush off on Thanksgiving to start the buying frenzy.  Thanksgiving will cease to exist, everyone will either be working or shopping on that day, and that would be a sad thing, indeed.  If we don't fight it, we will lose one of the most beautiful and important holidays of the year.  Marketing and commercialism have already taken away most of Christmas's beauty and meaning, we can't allow it to happen to Thanksgiving, too.  I refuse to shop or even think about shopping on Thanksgiving.  The best gift that you can give your family on that day is your time and attention and love.  Oh yeah, and maybe a piece of pumpkin pie !