Christmas: Are they shoving it down our throats too early?

[Drtooth]

I just watched some PBS thing about Thanksgiving... some Burt Wolf thing... and there are 2 things that I found quite interesting...

What I'm saying is, how is completely removing the Native Americans from the holiday an improvement? For better or worse Thanksgiving was one of the few times we got to hear about Native American culture. Now all I see in the Hallmark stores are the white Pilgrims, representing the group that oppressed the Indians in the first place. How is that an improvement?

I feel I should address this as it ties into what's coming. The "first" Thanksgiving was technically nothing more than a one time harvest festival. Long story short, the tradition was lifted from old English traditions to declare holidays to celebrate something, and this was adopted by the founding fathers. But the real reason Thanksgiving is a national holiday is because of Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War (the thanks being as in thankful it's over). Even the turkey aspect was due to it being a very popular dish in the 1700's and 1800's. So really, we shouldn't have Pilgrims and Indians/Native Americans... we should have good ol' Honest Abe. Nice way to recycle some leftover President's Day decorations.

As for Christmas bumping through Thanksgiving, would you believe that the retail industry actually tried to get Thanksgiving pushed sooner so there would be more time for shopping? Wanna know who stopped that one? FDR. Yep. Christmas coming too soon is much earlier than we realize.

So really, modern American Thanksgiving owes far more to the founding fathers, Abe Lincoln and FDR than the Pilgrims and Native Americans.

 

[CensoredAlso]

So really, modern American Thanksgiving owes far more to the founding fathers, Abe Lincoln and FDR than the Pilgrims and Native Americans.

I agree. And if you want to celebrate Lincoln and FDR, feel free. But there's nothing wrong with people using the established story to celebrate a holiday. Holidays exist to celebrate an idea, regardless of where it came from.

 

[D'Snowth]

The "first" Thanksgiving was technically nothing more than a one time harvest festival.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that's what Canadian Thanksgiving celebrates.

But would you believe it? Black Friday's been around as far back as any of us can remember, but NOW, they've actually extended it and the Saturday afterwards is now Black Saturday. Heck, the whole week of Thanksgiving might as well be called Black Week, because retail's already pushing Black Friday sales and specials as we speak.

 

[CensoredAlso]

But would you believe it? Black Friday's been around as far back as any of us can remember, but NOW, they've actually extended it and the Saturday afterwards is now Black Saturday. Heck, the whole week of Thanksgiving might as well be called Black Week, because retail's already pushing Black Friday sales and specials as we speak.

It's OK, it's just made it all the more clear to me that Wal-Mart will never be graced with my presence.

 

[D'Snowth]

Walmart's the only place where you can get the same stuff you'd get at the grocery store for a lot less.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Walmart's the only place where you can get the same stuff you'd get at the grocery store for a lot less.

I'm fortunate that I don't have to shop at Wal-Mart, I understand a lot of people have to. I just can't support their business practices.

 

[D'Snowth]

I don't know what their business practices are, but hey, I don't support Google's business practices, but I HAVE to use YouTube.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Simply put I don't like how their employees are treated and I think their lower prices are a way to distract from how cheap (and occasionally harmful) their products are.

Google's sadly a little more difficult to avoid, lol.

 

[D'Snowth]

Yeah, Nesquik sure is dangerous.

 

[fuzzygobo]

Walmart's the only place where you can get the same stuff you'd get at the grocery store for a lot less.

As long as you don't mind you and every other customer waiting on line for one of three open registers while the other twelve remain stubbornly closed. (At least Target will be decent enough to open FOUR.)