Just don’t shop on Thanksgiving Day

Just don’t shop on Thanksgiving Day

Sadly, we are witnessing the sanctity of Thanksgiving Day slipping away. A day once reserved for the farmer and city dweller alike to celebrate a successfully completed harvest is being interrupted by the mad dash for Christmas Shopping.

Retailers, is it really necessary to open your stores as early as 8 a.m. Thanksgiving Day? Do you really believe more consumer dollars will be spent this holiday season because you are open on Thanksgiving? Or is this trend toward ever-increasing holiday hours a defensive move to preserve your market share against the other retailers who are pushing the holiday envelope?

Shoppers, is it really necessary to interrupt your family’s celebration in the pursuit of the perfect sale price? Is that bargain so precious as to require another family to interrupt their holiday dinner in order to supply the retail store clerk necessary for you to make your purchase?

I submit that the same amount of money will be spent by Christmas shoppers through the holiday season with or without stores being open on Thanksgiving Day. The door buster deals and shoppers can wait until Friday morning.

It is tough enough on some families’ Thanksgivings that certain essential employees like first responders, health care workers and NFL players have to work that day, but do we really need to interrupt one of the most important holidays of the year so some folks can staff retail stores so that others of us can shop?

I can think of one surefire way to stop this nonsense.

Don’t shop on Thanksgiving Day.

I don’t believe that most retailers want to be open that day. They are merely responding to their herd mentality. Please don’t spend your dollars and justify their questionable behavior.

Let’s preserve the sanctity of Thanksgiving Day before it is too late.

Alan J. Walters

Elgin