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My observations tell me that Thanksgiving may quickly succumb to the fate of Wednesday. Something to get over. Is Thanksgiving destined to become the hump holiday? The halfway marker of the holiday season's marathon. The race that starts at the pumpkin and ends at the tree. A successful race for some is measured by markers called best costume and best present. Some marathon racers take a shortcut and sprint an entire day called Black Friday. I see no advantage trying to sprint bleary eyed and sluggish with a belly still full of turkey and pie. I only see it as a disadvantage. The site of so much hideous behavior dampens the spirit. Which in turn reduces the act of common decency. Sprinting will surely rob the senses of opportunities to appreciate beautiful scenery.
The first Thanksgiving was hosted by the Pilgrims in 1621 and lasted 3 days. In 1863 it become a one day holiday in the United States. Will the twisted thinking of our 21st century commercial excess driven mentality, finally reduce it to the hump?
Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Its colors are perfect, as is its placement in the calendar. It became our national holiday in the midst of our bloody and horrible Civil War. It is a day where the menu is basically set, with regional and familial differences, but, hey, the meal is set and we get to gorge on the bounties of the harvest! No presents, no cards, just giving thanks. Leftovers abound and rather than a "hump day" it is a day to refresh. (okay, okay, I know, all the prep and cleaning up and such is part of it too).
There is plenty of time for retail and such. I appreciate your post here today.
Gotta run. Time to buy the turkey.
Thanksgiving is one of my all time favorite holidays....no hump day, sprinting or any racing for me! I have never been to a day after sale, but I do love those Monday cyber sales! :)
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm one of the few who still loves Thanksgiving. It will never be a hump day holiday for me :o)
ReplyDeleteKristen
I love Thanksgiving. If you think about it, there isn't much commercialism gained from the day. Except for the turkey industry and grocery stores. Halloween and Christmas is where "they" make their money and therefore push the retail end. Your post makes us all pause and slow down and enjoy the best holiday of giving thanks and being with family. Christmas will be here before you know it...
ReplyDeleteLove this post and thanks for the reminder!! Did you see my post today? I am talking about Christmas kind of in the same light!!! I can tell you will be in the group I like to be in.
ReplyDeleteLove the Holiday season as a whole, I guess I am a big kid. I just feel it in the air and I refuse to let the Bah-Humbuggers ruin it for me!!! Have a great week getting ready for Thanksgiving!! I will be thinking of you as I iron my napkins!! Kathysue
Thanksgiving is one of my absolute holidays. Family and friends gather to celebrate blessings and the gift of being with one another. Love the holiday. I'm with Zhush...I don't do black friday, in fact I have my holiday shopping already done. We relax and spend quality time together over the long weekend.
ReplyDeleteSay it ain't so!!!! I will always cherish Thanksgiving, but it does feel more and more slighted every year...so sad!
ReplyDeleteYou speak my heart! I have often lamented silently and outspoken the horrible urge to push every season, every holiday way ahead of time. It kills me to see Halloween stuff right after returning kids to school in September.... and so on throughout the year. At best one can ignore it, but I am afraid our children grow up with this mentality! It is too sad.
ReplyDeletePerhaps we have to start the counter revolution of slow living....
Not skipping through Thanksgiving here! One of our favorite holidays to enjoy together. No Black Friday shopping either - leftover turkey sandwiches and kicking back time!
ReplyDeleteCathy
I love Thanksgiving - as it has nothing to do with "giving" anything though it's the one holiday with that in the name!
ReplyDeleteHere's to keeping it a cherished holiday. No sales for me - stores are too crowded!!
Great post R...I get to where I don't look forward to the holidays at all because of the lack of retrospect and full on commercialism. This Thanksgiving will the a first for me being by myself, so no celebration here. Hubby and college son are going hunting and it will be a very special time for the two of them as son graduates mid-December. I am not sad but a bit relieved to not have all of the work that a house full of men don't always notice beyond the football games! I do love to have family together and those special friends. The wedding pooped me out!
ReplyDeleteI was walking through Georgetown the other day in sandals and button up shirt and every store I walked in to I was greeted with pine candles and Christmas trees. As soon as they clear the Halloween stuff out, in it comes. Incredibly annoying. I can keep up. I still have pumpkins at my front door.
ReplyDeletePlease NO! Retail has been in the tank for 2-3 years now so they are hurrying-up everything. Resist I say. Don't succomb. There are even a couple of Christmas trees up in our area and it makes me sick. Where is the joy of anticipation? And, shopping the day after Thanksgiving? Forget about it. xx's
ReplyDeleteLike may of the other posters, I love Thanksgiving - it's all about getting together around a meal - no other agenda. The Christmas push does seem especially bad this year - perhaps because of the economy but clearly none of us appreciates it! Here's to a feast with family - cheers!
ReplyDeleteMy family was talking about
ReplyDeleteour Christmas tree and when
to put it up the other day.
My daughter said, "Let's wait
until after Thanksgiving." I
was very happy to see that the
apple hasn't fallen too far
from the tree {so far}! Why
rush when you can savor? Not
my style and so happy to hear
that it's not yours, either.
Amen!!!
xx Suzanne
I hope not! Honestly, Thanksgiving is in many ways my favorite holiday. Festive. Lots of family time. Great food; football... Lacks the pressure of gifts and high-style entertaining.
ReplyDeletePlease note: On December 4, 1619, pilgrims from England came ashore at what became Berkeley Plantation (in the colony of VA) and observed the first Thanksgiving in America. Prior to that, the Spanish were here and celebrated T-giving.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the holiday season has become way too commercial - and, quite frankly, I am ready to give most of it up, except to quietly celebrate and give thanks. The best gifts are those going to folks who are in need. The rest of us could do without more "stuff."
Thank you for the work you put on this blog -- and best wishes for a wonderful holiday season :-)
I love this post. With all the commercialism on the holidays Thanksgiving just get's skipped over. It makes me sad since everything was always defined when I was a kid. YOu celebrated Halloween (there was no Christmas ornaments in the store), then Thanksgiving and right before Thanksgiving they started to put out the Christmas merchandise. I love Thanksgiving....for me it's been one of my favorite holidays living in LA. I have hosted all my friends and neighbors that live on the East Coast and it's always been so much fun. Our tradition is to have all guests say what they are grateful for...amongst the moans of here she goes again...it really is touching.
ReplyDelete