No Shopping on Thanksgiving Day

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MauEvig
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No Shopping on Thanksgiving Day

Post by MauEvig » Mon Nov 02, 2015 1:06 pm

Anyone else feel that people shouldn't shop on Thanksgiving? I'm going to extend that to Black Friday as well. I think people should have the right to be home with their families and loved ones for the holiday and not have to rush off to work. So I am making the pledge not to shop on Thanksgiving. Hopefully the grocery stores and retail chains will take a hint if people boycott shopping on those days and let people go back to the old fashioned way of doing things where everyone gets to be home for the day and have a nice meal. Who's with me? The best thing to do is plan ahead to be sure you have everything you need ahead of time for your perfect Thanksgiving meal.

And if I forget those olives...so be it. It won't be the end of the world. :lol:

Of course I understand if people work in Hospitals or Nursing homes...one cannot take a break from being sick or needing specialized healthcare after all...but I do hope even they get a chance to have a nice meal with their family even if it's not on Thanksgiving day or maybe after work.

I'm not sure about people who work in Hospitality...it would be nice if Hotel workers could be home as well...I feel bad for those who can't because they work at a Hotel like the Homestead.
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Re: No Shopping on Thanksgiving Day

Post by witchy » Mon Nov 02, 2015 1:40 pm

I never do, it's family time for us!! We eat too much, play some board games and rent some movies. :wink:
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Re: No Shopping on Thanksgiving Day

Post by Murfreesboro » Mon Nov 02, 2015 2:16 pm

No shopping on Thanksgiving for me, either! And rarely on Black Friday. I don't really enjoy fighting my way through crowds.

In Nashville, REI Sporting goods has pledged to stay closed, not only on Thanksgiving, but on Black Friday as well. They say people should go outside and enjoy nature.

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Re: No Shopping on Thanksgiving Day

Post by MauEvig » Mon Nov 02, 2015 6:50 pm

I agree with both of you. Staying home and having a nice meal that day with loved ones sounds so much better, and I always feel bad for any store clerks who are stuck working. Plus I've had to do it before...so we had our Thanksgiving dinner on a different day. The actual day of Thanksgiving we did go out to eat...and we were going to go get chinese but it turned out the chinese place was closed for Thanksgiving! For some reason I didn't expect that...I guess that's because in movies they usually have the chinese restaurants open for the holidays.

I think the sporting goods store has the right idea. Plus people often go hunting around Thanksgiving too so that makes sense.
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Re: No Shopping on Thanksgiving Day

Post by Murfreesboro » Mon Nov 02, 2015 7:08 pm

I am hearing on TV that merchants are very nervous about the upcoming holiday season, fearful that people will continue to save their money rather than spend it. Maybe that's why there are so many Christmas ads and discounts already. They are trying to treat the whole month of November as if it is Black Friday.

My kids are grown and there are no grandkids yet, so I can afford to cut back on my spending a little. I want to give each of them something they will enjoy, but I don't have to shower them with gifts.

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Re: No Shopping on Thanksgiving Day

Post by MauEvig » Mon Nov 02, 2015 10:11 pm

Sounds like people might be becoming nervous about the economy. I'm studying economics in college...it's a really difficult course and one I've so far had the most difficulty in...but I have learned how people's attitudes toward spending can have an over all effect on the economy and it's a good deal about psychology on part of the consumer. If people are nervous about the economy, they are more likely to hold onto every last dollar. But if people are feeling good about the economy, they're more likely to spend money.
So from an economic's perspective the retailers would have a right to be nervous if people are feeling nervous about the economy...because if I were to say not feel comfortable going on a shopping spree...that can have an effect on the jobs of the people working in retail. They may get laid off or their hours cut. That wouldn't make for a very good Holiday season either!

But regardless...my opinion is that they shouldn't even put the Christmas stuff out until December 1st...and I'm finding they aught to do that with all the other holidays...everything's great when it's within the season it belongs in. In my case I think the entire idea of advertising so early has backfired...because it makes me not want to spend money on Christmas because of my annoyance with all the commercialism...

I think we should all cut back on spending for sure, and honestly I think that the important thing is the thought that goes into the gift, not the gift itself. If that makes sense. One doesn't need to go out and buy something big and shiny and expensive...I think if you put effort into something hand made...that's even more special.

I don't think they should treat the entire month like it's Black Friday...it really takes away from the meaning of Thanksgiving. What about just being thankful for what we already have? Isn't that what the holiday is about?

Regardless I think a good balanced budget is what everyone needs. Have some money to save, and some money to spend. I need to work on that myself. It sounds like you have the right idea Murf. You can still do something special for Christmas with your kids without spending a lot. Some people will go out and max out their credit cards...I avoid credit cards like the plague because I have student loans to worry about when I'm done with college again. lol
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Re: No Shopping on Thanksgiving Day

Post by Murfreesboro » Tue Nov 03, 2015 8:30 am

You sound very reasonable to me, Mau. I do think many people are nervous about the economy.

For some reason, your post made me think of that Wordsworthian sonnet that begins, "The world is too much with us, late and soon/Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers." You are right that we should spend more time appreciating what we already have. And, yes, that is what Thanksgiving is supposed to be about.

As for budgeting and living within one's means--I have decided that handling money wisely is a lot like weight-management. Everyone knows what you need to do to handle money wisely, just like everyone knows what you need to do to maintain a healthy weight. It's the doing it that's tough! :lol:

One thing I am doing this year for my kids is creating a personal cookbook with all the traditional recipes that have been handed down in my family, plus a few favorites of ours from over the years. It started as a holiday cookbook but has branched out from there. I don't mean it's going to be a "book," more like a pamphlet. I intend to laminate the pages and bind it with one of those plastic term paper binders you get at the office supply store. But that is something only I can give them, and basically it will cost me some time. I have been working on it sporadically for almost a year. I am not only giving them the recipes, but the stories and anecdotes behind them, who taught me to make them, etc. I am hoping they will appreciate that.

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Re: No Shopping on Thanksgiving Day

Post by MauEvig » Tue Nov 03, 2015 10:02 am

Thanks Murf! :)

Indeed, and that's exactly what I plan to do for Thanksgiving. We'll have the dinner and stuff of course too though. :)

It is hard...I'm always tempted to empty my pocket book out on something big and expensive that I really want...but I know it's not a necessity either. :lol: Whenever I have money I want to spend it all but when I don't have any income at all I'm more reluctant to spend it. The YMCA job is nice and all but it doesn't make a lot, so it'll help supplement me for the time being until I get my Teaching certification and degree. It'll help pay for things that are necessary and that's the important thing. I'll also be able to put on my resume that I have experience working with children, so I think that'll be a valuable asset later on down the road.

I think the cook book is a great idea Murf. It'll be a valuable heirloom that they will be able to pass down to their own children one day. I think it's great that you're including the stories behind them as well and such a gift will be priceless. I honestly think that's the best kind of gift to give. :)
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Re: No Shopping on Thanksgiving Day

Post by Murfreesboro » Tue Nov 03, 2015 2:26 pm

Thanks, Mau. I hope my kids think so, too.

I am sure your experience with children will be helpful on your resume.

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Re: No Shopping on Thanksgiving Day

Post by Spookymufu » Tue Nov 03, 2015 7:30 pm

I'm sure my store will be open once again on Thanksgiving, wouldnt surprise me really if we go in even earlier this year, I suppose it all depends on what WalMart does this year
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Re: No Shopping on Thanksgiving Day

Post by MauEvig » Wed Nov 04, 2015 9:41 am

Quite welcome Murf and I certainly hope it does help out!

Do you work at Walmart Spooky? I worked there once but it didn't work out very well. I've worked as a cashier before though and was stuck working Thanksgiving in the past. It really stinks. Whatever happened to employers letting their employees enjoy the holiday? Very few stores still do that these days. I'm sorry if you have to work though because it can be a real pain working holidays. Then you have the empty apologies of customers who are like "I'm sorry you have to work today but I'm glad you're open." Yeah if they were really sorry they wouldn't be there. :lol:
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Re: No Shopping on Thanksgiving Day

Post by Spookymufu » Wed Nov 04, 2015 5:45 pm

No Mau, I dont, but my store seems to follow what WalMart does, or often tried to one-up them :(
MauEvig wrote:Then you have the empty apologies of customers who are like "I'm sorry you have to work today but I'm glad you're open." Yeah if they were really sorry they wouldn't be there. :lol:
funny because I heard this about 4 times last black friday, which was no where near as busy as the black friday before that
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