4.9
November 22, 2013

Here’s what one American thinks about Big Box Retailers opening up during Thanksgiving.

Updates: Thankfully, this year, the tide has turned: Costco, Lowe’s, GameStop, others Refuse to Open Thanksgiving–and Shame Those Who Do (time.com)

Costco will again stay closed on Thanksgiving this year, bucking the trend of retailers opening their doors earlier and earlier: “We simply believe [our employees] deserve the opportunity to spend Thanksgiving with their families” (money.cnn.com)

Bonus: “Best Thanksgiving blog ever.”

And, Toys “R” Us says: “Nature?! Booooring. Plastic! Yessss!”

Remember: they’re not the bad guys, we’re the bad guys if and only if we shop at Big Box Retailers during Thanksgiving.

It’s a vicious cycle: we lose jobs and income when we support those companies that displace local retailers and support companies that outsource because they’re cheaper. My mom was poor, but bought secondhand and bought less. Instead, we created more.

Consumerism is the problem. Capitalism is great, but it is our insatiable desire for cheaper faster bigger that is destroying much of our sweet planet that we depend upon. We can keep respect for one day of thanks.

Thanks to US Uncut for the image.

 

Let’s stay home, let’s volunteer, let’s enjoy family or friends, let’s go solo…let’s do anything but shop this Thanksgiving. Let’s remember to give thanks for what we already have and where we are, which is right here, right now.

“If You Shop on Thanksgiving, You Are Part of the Problem.”

We can take a day off from shopping. Obviously some folks have to work, and hopefully are paid overtime–emergency services, restaurants that choose to be open, and the like. We should honor all those who work. But when the condition for a job is “you have to work Thanksgiving because our company has to get a headstart on the competition…” …c’mon. That’s not kind, and that’s what this gentleman’s sign is addressing.

As for supporting local, independent business…hear, hear. Amen. Still, there are 364 other days to support local, which I do wholeheartedly–it’s far more fun and keeps jobs, caring, knowledge and dollars in our community.

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