I knew that everyone forgot about Thanksgiving when I saw families already waiting in line to see Santa at the mall…in the beginning of November.
How did this holiday, which for generations has been proclaimed the day to get together and give thanks for everything in our lives, turn into just another Thursday before Black Friday? Is waiting in lines for hours only to stampede over other desperate deal-seekers really the ultimate ending to this brief, yet important, holiday?
In Jay Evenson’s article, the question of this holiday’s relevance with present times is raised, and he thoughtfully states that Thanksgiving’s “only commercial aspect involves the purchase of food. Other than perhaps a new electric carving knife, it has no shiny objects or toys to offer. Its message is deeper and quieter than that, and deep, quiet things tend to get drowned out in a season whose commercial aspect is seen as vital to the economy.”
So, Christmas automatically tops Thanksgiving because it boosts the economy. Well that is understandable, yet it seems as though the meaning behind the holiday is lost among the favored Christmas season. Instead of being thankful for what we have in the moment, we make wish-lists and eagerly send them to our parents hoping that they will actually look at the list you made instead of just asking for it and buying whatever they want anyway (as my mom does, every single year).
It doesn’t help that the second stores run out of Halloween decorations, or realizes no one’s going to buy the leftovers of their stock, they fill with reds and greens and everything you imagine when you think “Christmas”. What the hell happened to that lowly Thursday at the end of November? We dedicate a whole month to men not shaving their faces (No-Shave November) and only remember Thanksgiving when we venture home and watch someone slave away in the kitchen while we enjoy family company and salivate over the smell coming from the oven. Maybe it’s because we only get two days off of school, just like Veteran’s Day or any other, that forces us to consider it just another long weekend.
In closing, if I could make a law that prohibits pictures with Santa in malls until December 1st, I would.
Sorryboutit.