The assumption is that Thanksgiving is a family oriented holiday.
For some, perhaps many, it is.
For others, perhaps most, it no longer is. There are some communities that lack the family structure to gather to celebrate. There are many who are miles from the family and are unable to gather over the river. There are men that watch the foot ball games.
Then there are women who after washing up the dishes and cleaning up the food leftovers want to go buy something.
I spent decades in retail and I do mean decades as in a career retail person first working in a toy store at age 15 and working my way through until a District Manager of 10 store locations. From going to work the evening of Thanksgiving to either decorate the store(yeah I'm that old) to setting the Black Friday sale to Christmas Eve's where I didn't get off until the last cash register was balanced for the night, but even then I loved every minute of the holiday season.
Now that I am much older, I do loathe the thought of going out for that first of the holiday rush...but for many younger folks it is just that ...part of the holiday.
So what do I make of this campaign? It is just another attempt, another attack on the traditions and values that we as Americans have practiced for decades. It is part of the cultural destruction and psyche of the nation.
There are men that watch the football games.
There was one Thanksgiving back when I was in high school when we were watching a football game. As the meal was being placed on the table, the first half was coming to an end and we (Dad) decided we would start the meal at halftime. As the waning minutes of the first half dragged on, my sister said: “It wouldn’t take so long if it wasn’t for those darned instant replays.
Heaviest travel period of the year and biggest day of the year for restaurants feeding families. It is the biggest holiday for extended family reunions and Christmas is next. Lots of people work both holidays. People sleep in parking lots Thanksgiving day to get the freebies and sales at midnight. I don’t. I rarely shop on the weekend because I know that Tuesday is quietest day in retail.