Thanksgiving is the holiday that kicks off the holiday season (although a case could be made for Halloween with sales starting earlier and earlier). But I believe Thanksgiving is better suited for a month further from Christmas. If you really give some thought to Thanksgiving and Black Friday, although currently inseparably tied, you will agree they are diametrically opposed.
Advertising for Black Friday revs up before Thanksgiving. As my son and I walked through one store, I heard an advertisement advising us to stuff ourselves with turkey then come to the store at midnight on Black Friday to catch the greatest sales. Give this a little thought: Celebrate a holiday that represents gratitude and togetherness, then fight your neighbor at the local mall, Best Buy, Walmart, or store of your choice, for that "once in a lifetime bargain." After all, these are Christmas gifts for your loved ones-another holiday that has such potential for love and togetherness but gets bogged down in materialism.
Many people don't work the day after Thanksgiving; that lends itself to officially kicking off the holiday shopping season. Many businesses boost their revenue into the black on this day (hence the name Black Friday). While improving the economy is important, the objection is how consumerism has become linked with a holiday that centers on gratitude. Something has to give when you have diametrically opposed ideas. Within the theme of Thanksgiving: Can we really be grateful in one hour, and less than 12 hours later be literally fighting for a bargain? We all hear the news reports following Black Friday: people trampled and robbed, strangers fighting for the last hot toy or newest electronic gift.
We are all aware of how the themes of these holidays are being diminished by our consumer culture. Is this the direction we want to go? Do we want our most valued holidays to simply be a reason for sale, in order for us to accumulate more stuff?
We already live well beyond our means. I recently read an article that purported: corporations are controlling everything, from what we eat, to what we desire, to who we elect into office. This may be true of how Black Friday has become so important in our society. The article gave 10 suggestions for retaking the country from the corporations running the country. The suggestions weren't easy, but a few struck me as solid advice: living within our means, not using credit cards, and paying off our creditors. (Starving the Beast: 10 Things You Can Do To Take America Back). Black Friday is the beginning of a season that results in many people living beyond their means. These suggestions could be followed more easily if we remember what we should be grateful for and remember the theme of the holiday.
Gandhi said you must "be the change you want to see in the world." Are you willing to be the beginning of that change? Will you be grateful and not engage in competitive shopping? Will you refrain from living beyond your means? Will you respect the theme of love, togetherness, and gratitude this holiday season? Or will you let the corporate gods determine your behavior? Should we move Thanksgiving to March?
Copyright William Berry 2010
