Wednesday's Wisdom....

NO.  I will NOT be shopping on Thanksgiving.

While working as a restaurant hostess at The Proud Popover, my first post-college job, a lady stopped me as I hurried by her table and inquired, "Will you be open for Thanksgiving?"

"Oh,  no." I quickly replied with a smile.

Clearly disappointed at this news she continued, "But why? It would be so nice for families to come here."  

Without missing a beat I replied, "Because we have families too!"

And with a very surprised look on her face she could only mumble a quiet, "Oh."

Perhaps, just as young school children imagine that their teachers eat, sleep and basically live in their school, the restaurant customer falsely believed that the staff spent their existence in the back rooms of the restaurant.  The thought that we too would have a family, and like to spend the holiday with them, seemed not to have dawned on her.

I admit that I am both saddened and very annoyed that there will be stores and malls opening for shopping on Thanksgiving Day. It's a HOLIDAY.  It is a day set aside for family, feasting and gratitude.  I think we started to lose sight of the importance of holidays and celebrations when we started changing the dates to turn them into three day weekends years ago.  Is Thanksgiving going to turn into a four day weekend - simply set aside for the express purpose of shopping?

Several people "comment" on articles about this recent twist to this holiday, pointing out how awful it is that the retail workers won't be able to be with their families.  Yes, that is true.  But while they are professing sympathy for them, could we also give a thought to the all police, fire fighters, first responders, hospital workers, nursing home workers, home health aides, restaurant staff and kennel workers - who work on Thanksgiving and all the other holidays, very often without any extra pay?

So I will not be shopping on Thanksgiving.  I will, however, probably be sitting in the extra traffic it will create as I drive home from our family gathering that night.  Sigh....