What's Going On: Why Thanksgiving will survive, despite stores and their sales

It was capitalism out of control. 

TVs, toys, even blenders were sold. 

Employees worked on a sacred day, 

a time for families to rest and play. 

They said retailers were filled with greed,

as they profited from consumer’s need. 

But the stores opened and sales were made, 

as buyers gave the notion a passing grade.

And now, no one ever stops to say,

“Stores shouldn’t be open on Sunday.”

Between boycotts and petitions, consumers have turned to various mediums recently to express concern, contempt and even disgust with retailers’ decision to open on Thanksgiving. 

It’s pure commercialism at its best. Merchants clearly believe they can make money by opening their doors before the traditional Black Friday. 

However, unlike most retail innovations designed to stimulate sales, consumers have reacted harshly, sort of. 

Many believe it’s unfair to the employees who have to spend their holiday at work instead of at home with their friends and families. Many believe it also undermines the solemnity of the Thanksgiving holiday and at its worst, reflects a continuing erosion of the traditional American values. 

I don’t buy it (pun intended). 

First, I’ll admit that generally speaking, I prefer a culture and society that places as few restrictions as possible on those it govern. With that said, I would never favor legislation that would ban Thanksgiving sales. For the same reason I could never support the aforementioned Sunday Blue laws, I don’t want government telling business owners when they can and can’t be open to conduct business.

However, I do fully support the consumer’s right to vote with their collective wallets.

If consumers don’t want to support businesses who open on Thanksgiving, so be it. If there are enough like-minded individuals and merchants don’t create acceptable profit margins, they will no longer be open Thanksgiving. 

But I wouldn’t bet on that happening. 

There are three tiers of the American worker in regards to the Thanksgiving discussion. 

First, there are the “absolutely essential” businesses and services, which include jobs in the medical profession, law enforcement, emergency responders, military, etc. 

The police officer, soldier and 911 dispatcher understand going in they will work holidays. 

Then we have the “not-essential-but-expected” businesses. Here, I include services we expect to have available that we don’t absolutely have to have. That would include travel-related jobs like those at airports, train stations, convenience stores and hotels. 

Beyond the travel/tourism related sectors, the entertainment industry has crept into this classification as well over the years. Movie theaters represent the most recent transition, but for years, newspapers, radio stations and television stations alike have catered to consumers. And, frequently, these media outlets are tied closely to other entertainment-oriented businesses employing thousands, including football games and parades.

Naturally, everyone else works in the third classification of “non-essential-or-expected-to-be-opened” businesses. 

In the past, that classification included retail business. 

Not anymore. 

Following the path blazed by grocery stores and movie theaters, your retailers, especially chain stores, will be open on Thanksgiving from here on out, and you as an American consumer will eventually expect it. 

Just like you expect K-Mart or Shopko to be opened on Sunday, we as consumers will eventually just accept and expect those stores to be on Thanksgiving as well. 

And as consumers accept the practice, so will employees. There are certain jobs that require you to work holidays. You know that going in and accept it.

As for everyone who’s afraid the future of Thanksgiving as a family holiday is at stake, fear not. Sundays have survived, retaining a unique place in our society’s weekly calendar in regards to schedules and in what we do in those 24 hours compared to the rest of the week. 

A more likely scenario I can envision is a new Thanksgiving tradition which I saw take form at my in-laws in Columbia, Mo., this year: the women in the house heading out for an afternoon/evening of shopping, leaving behind the napping men who were supposed to be watching the children. 

Throw in the continuous feed of football games and a turkey sandwich and you’ve got the 21st century version for the American Thanksgiving. 

Gregory Orear is the General Manager/Editor of the Red Oak Express and Glenwood Opinion-Tribune. He can be contacted at publisher@redoakexpress.com.