Shoppers 6, Family 4 - First Game of Consumer Playoffs

A writer writes.

Well, game one of the consumer world series was played last Thursday on Thanksgiving Day.  The visiting team was all the stores that elected to open on Thanksgiving Day.  Some stores even had the audacity to open at 8 in the morning.  Black Friday was replaced by Thankless Thursday.  The aroma of turkey and dressing on Thanksgiving Day is now being replaced by the smell of new merchandise just unpacked and placed at eye level for consumers to gobble up.

Thanksgiving Day traditionally was a time for families to spend time together.  In the past most workers were given the day off to rest and spend time with family and loved ones.  Somewhere in some corporate board rooms across the country, decisions were made to "screw the family day".  Let's sell more stuff!  Because one thing Americans like is buying "stuff" whether we need it or not.

So, Macy's, Target, and other chain stores gladly welcomed shoppers and their charge cards and cash, into their stores.  People of all races, sizes, and economic backgrounds either stood in a line or came out to the stores once they opened.  What lured them out away from family?  The promise of big bargains and the chance to purchase merchandise, that the stores otherwise could not get rid of, brought many people to the consumer playoffs.

I was hoping that people would boycott the event and let the stores know that "the people" are in charge!  The people will not be enticed to come out and shop on a day of family bonding!  What was I thinking. The lure of "stuff" was apparently too much for people to resist.  As Eve ate the fruit from the forbidden tree, so the American consumer fell for the shopping fruit.  Within 10 years Thanksgiving Day will be replaced by "Shoppers Day".  Dinners will still be prepared, but it will be a meal to feed the shoppers before they head to the store.

I'll miss Thanksgiving.