What ever happened to giving Thanks? Is it too much?

I couldn't help but notice on Nov 1, as all of the Christmas ads began to appear, that some segments of society are blowing past Thanksgiving and getting to Christmas. I can remember as a kid that the holiday shopping season did not begin until after Thanksgiving, but now it seems that after Halloween it all is a blur...a holiday shopping orgy of sorts that lasts now the better part of two months :blink:

So, I wish that the hype would stop. Focus on giving thanks for what we have before heading to the stores. This used to be a holiday of thanksgiving and of helping others rather than a massive commercial blitz focused on making a buck or two... :roll:

Personally, I'm hoping to spend this break on the slopes and with family and friends rather than my credit card. And don't worry, I'm sure that the shopping will get done... :wink:

So here's to taking control of the season and making it about family, friends, and thanking (insert name of deity) for our good fortune rather than giving into the over-commercialized, spiritless machine of credit cards, debt, and junk nobody wants. :beer:

thetrailboss said:

I couldn't help but notice on Nov 1, as all of the Christmas ads began to appear, that some segments of society are blowing past Thanksgiving and getting to Christmas. I can remember as a kid that the holiday shopping season did not begin until after Thanksgiving, but now it seems that after Halloween it all is a blur...a holiday shopping orgy of sorts that lasts now the better part of two months :blink:

So, I wish that the hype would stop. Focus on giving thanks for what we have before heading to the stores. This used to be a holiday of thanksgiving and of helping others rather than a massive commercial blitz focused on making a buck or two... :roll:

Personally, I'm hoping to spend this break on the slopes and with family and friends rather than my credit card. And don't worry, I'm sure that the shopping will get done... :wink:

So here's to taking control of the season and making it about family, friends, and thanking (insert name of deity) for our good fortune rather than giving into the over-commercialized, spiritless machine of credit cards, debt, and junk nobody wants. :beer:

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Well said! Couldn't agree more.

My most memorable Christmases were spent with my family at various ski resorts in Switzerland (my mom is Swiss). We would go for 2 weeks over the holidays and our gift was being together and skiing in the Alps. We stayed in nice hotels, ate well, partied with other guests, laughed, went to midnight church services, and listened to all the bells in town sound off at midnight on Christmas eve/day.

The very best gifts can't be found in any store.

I picked "other" because I wanted to vote all of the following:

• Yes. I hate shopping.
• Yes. I want some time to be with family...isn't that what the holidays are about?
• Where's the turkey?
• Where's the snow??

One other thing...it's great to be able to do shopping online, I've grown to detest going to malls. :x

hammer said:

I picked "other" because I wanted to vote all of the following:

• Yes. I hate shopping.
• Yes. I want some time to be with family...isn't that what the holidays are about?
• Where's the turkey?
• Where's the snow??

One other thing...it's great to be able to do shopping online, I've grown to detest going to malls. :x

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Yeah what he said, especially the part about malls!

I completely agree with all of you.

a subject near and dear to my heart those familiar with me should not be surprised i am about to step up to the soap box on this topic :lol:

i actually think thanksgiving is one of the best and least commercialized holidays around and thank goodness. thanksgiving is all about friends, family, and food. if only every holiday could center around these three important parts of our lives? it is hard to commercialize tday, and boy am i glad. xmas on the other hand is way outta hand and the whole "black friday" thing takes a little away from the thanksgiving tradition making way for the shopping tradition.

i encourage everyone here to take a look at the following:
http://www.adbusters.org/metas/eco/bnd/

adbusters can be a little over the top sometimes, but the concept of buy nothing day is a home run. i say if you think hollidays have lost their spirit and have become 'hallmark holidays' and are all about commercialization and buying innane amounts of crap, put your money where your mouth is and buy nothing. i have extended this idea to valentine's day in which me and my girl friend celebrated by hosting an anti-valentine's day party in which friends watched depressing movies where people die, played RISK, drank heavily, and no one was allowed to mention anything related to love or relationships or what not. it was a hoot and it was real and we had fun.

the best present is the one given freely at random times for no specific reason. any gift given due to a day on the calendar is one generally given due to expectation, due to society and commercials telling you it is the right thing to do. randomness is the key to gifts that really many people smile and think you did something special. any one can spend a fortune at the mall on "black friday."

/rant

Here's what I don't get.

Why are you all so bothered about how other people or rather your own perceptions about how other people, celebrate the holidays?

Some of the "best" presents were given to me on Xmas, my birthday, etc.. because they were given freely and with love. They don't count b/c it landed on a particular day.

Besides, the best Holiday in Boston is Evacuation Day. :beer: :wink: :beer:

My point is that Thanksgiving has for many become another day to go shopping in vain...

Well I guess my point is that is doesn't effect me one way or the other....

I'm still watching football. :wink:

Yeah, Steve, you forgot FOOTBALL

Food, Family, Friends and Football.

Jaytrek57 said:

Here's what I don't get.

Why are you all so bothered about how other people or rather your own perceptions about how other people, celebrate the holidays?

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I'm not bothered about what other folks do; that's their personal choice.

And I don't think gifts given with love are discounted because they're given on Xmas; to think that would be silly.

However, I do know people who think I'm sacreligious because I choose to ski on Black Friday instead of shop. I've even had folks accuse me of depriving my kids of the joy of Christmas because I don't shop the day after Thanksgiving.

To me, those folks are a bit brainwashed and I don't think they get the real meaning of the holiday. And I say that about them ONLY because they already have a preset notion about me and how I celebrate the holidays.

Jaytrek57 said:

Here's what I don't get.

Why are you all so bothered about how other people or rather your own perceptions about how other people, celebrate the holidays?

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I kind of agree here. Different strokes for different folks. My wife, for one, loves shopping for Christmas and probably goes way overboard each year. She claims it's a chore, but I know deep down she really enjoys trying to find the perfect gift for people. I'm a last minute Christmas shopper myself and I'd rather be sliding down a hill than in a mall any day, but if that's some folks' thing, who are we to criticise?

thetrailboss said:

My point is that Thanksgiving has for many become another day to go shopping in vain...

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Here's one time that I'm thankful for the blue laws in MA...no stores open on Thanksgiving day...

Greg said:

I'm a last minute Christmas shopper myself and I'd rather be sliding down a hill than in a mall any day

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I'm right there with ya picking through the left overs with the rest of the guys. I get a kick out of last minute Christmas shopping, its the only time you'll see some stores/malls filled with guys...

This eveing after work I pull the cable on the computer to hook up the wireless connection. This means I spend the next four trying to figure out how I screwed it up. So as long as the wife has the pies and ice cream coming I'll focus. :lol:

I spending the Thanksgiving with the family, brother and sistors family also. Mom as been giving 6 months count down to her last. She got me into skiing and hiking. Every time I came back from a trip I'ed show your the photos of where we went and what we did she would then point out some view point or trail we missed.

Bless you guys and gals. Hug family these holidays because you do love them.

Now where's the beer and turkey? :beer:

Regardless of your religious or non-religious leanings, this "meditation" is what Thanksgiving is about for me:

"O God – when I have food,
Help me to remember the hungry;

When I have work,
Help me to remember the jobless;

When I have a warm home,
Help me to remember the homeless;

When I am without pain,
Help me to remember those who suffer;

And remembering,
Help me to destroy my complacency,
And bestir my compassion.

Make me concerned enough to help,
By word and deed, those who cry out –

For what we take for granted. Amen"

Now, pass the turkey please....

Bring on the turkey and football tomorrow and the snow Friday. Thsnksgiving is getting less and less about the family every year becasue trying to get halfway across the country in this traffic is no fun at all.

Paul said:

Yeah, Steve, you forgot FOOTBALL

Food, Family, Friends and Football.

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I hate football!!

:angry: :evil: :angry: :evil: :angry: :evil: