Monday, November 25, 2013

The Grinch that is Trying to Steal Thanksgiving


Many of you have heard that many retail stores are opening their doors for a good part of Thanksgiving day as a sort of pre Black Friday.  Debate abounds on the internet about the folly or the merit of the situation.  The lure of sales for Christmas and an extra day of shopping has many excited about the day.  In the past stores and gas stations sometimes opened for a few hours simply as a courtesy for travelers or families who might have forgotten one last item...but not at full capacity.  I've been glad to see petitions circulating to oppose this trend that is expanding even further this year.   

Here are some of the reasons I oppose retailors opening their doors on Thanksgiving Day. 

I know that some of you may be shrugging at my title not at all feeling that there is any threat on our nation, our families or our long standing traditions.  First I'd like to remind you that God was involved in the first Thanksgiving as the Pilgrims and Indians gathered and thanks to God was given.  The winter had been hard and lives had been lost...but the people still saw the hand of God and His great provision and protection.  This year has been hard for many of us, yet if we will look we will see that the Lord has not left our side. 

1.  Workers and their families are effected.  It snowballs
You may not be effected this year, but the snowball is starting.  Years ago Sunday was a day of worship and a day for families to rest and relax together.  Dinners were something special and being with Mom and Dad and visiting Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, cousins and friends were the norm  filling hearts with memories. Retailers began to get the great idea that Sunday was no longer a day to be respected because just maybe they could make a few more dollars on the backs of workers many of whom would now miss church and the extended family dinner.  Maybe dinner doesn't seem like much, but those who have practiced family table ( or couch) know that eating together promotes communication and provide a time for simply memories to form producing life long security and confidence.  Think about this....if Mom and Dad are working who is watching the kids?  Where is the day to have for family for a tired worn out worker?

2.  Who is next?
"Well, that is only retail and that's the business," you may say.  I don't agree with that but let's take that idea for a minute.  If retail drives the force production will have to catch up and factories that make the product or distribute it will have to keep up. Already we see retailors feeling as if they have to compete with those who are opening their doors the same could easily happen to other industries.  There is already a concept in corporate America that desires to push as much as they can using the economy as its excuse.  If retail more and more stays open then by necessity other industries and other workers have to go to work as well.  Don't count on the idea that this will not eventually effect you and your family. 

3.  A Day to be with family and be thankful to God
I hope that Americans can see past their sale adds and see what is happening.  You may consider it just a few hours out of your day for shopping...but the worker and the children at Daycare or with Grandma waiting don't think of it that way.  Remember when a few retailors opened on Sunday no one thought it would become common, no one realized a weekly day to worship and relax with your kids and family that had been a part of our fabric as a nation would begin to disappear.   No one thought that in order to get many jobs a person would have to agree to work on Sunday. 

I urge you to think before you make your way to the store after a nice Turkey dinner.  What is this day like for the worker at the store you are going too?  Most importantly ask yourself what Thanksgiving Day will look like in a few years when many more are working?