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What Happened to Thanksgiving?
I pose this question to all those out there willing to read it. It's November 2nd, and I just helped a neighbor (and long time family friend) put up Christmas trees and decor in her house. I noticed also that before Halloween even took place that Christmas items were starting to spread through stores like fungus. So, I ask this question; what happened to Thanksgiving? [:?:] It's getting to the point that all holidays get jumped in favor of the Christmas holiday. What has happened to other holidays? Do children these days even remember what each holiday is in celebration of? As a Baptist Wiccan that understands both Christian and Pagan meanings of holidays, I'm starting to feel more and more that some holidays are being phased out in favor of the ones that make the most monetary and material impact. Is that cynical? Still, Thanksgiving is not getting the same recognition I recall from when I was younger. I see a lot of Halloween, but I see a lot of Christmas. What about other holidays? Like Mother's Day or Father's Day? Yes, such things are culturally created, but those days serve for true recognition of important figures in most of our lives. I say most because I'm aware some people lack parental figures. I feel holidays have less meaning than a reason to eat food and get gifts. I do like the food, but I like more sharing it with family and I am of an age (even if it's just 25) where I enjoy more giving than getting. I ask again, what's happened to Thanksgiving? |
Easy, as you said their focusing on the ones that earn money. Christmas, Halloween, Valentines day.. if it can earn money you see it. Heck iw as looking for a chance ot buy a few thanksgiving wreaths this year, because last year i saw them out after halloween but htis year their not htere.. know what replaced them? Gaudy CHRISTMAS wreaths. its driving me batty.
---------- Post added 11-02-2013 at 11:30 AM ---------- and if you know me you know i'm ALREADY batty. |
If you want one of those wreathes the best way to get it is to look for it when 'fall' starts. So, before Halloween. I saw a lot of them. If I'd known you wanted one, I'd have sent you one. Or made one for you. I know how to make wreaths. I've done it before.
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oh i like the idea of a cel made wreath.. its jsut i LIKE wreaths i don't care what holiday it is..i wants it 'nods'
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Haha, I'll see if I can't create a Christmas one or find a good Christmas one to give you.
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that'd be awesome.. josh'll be looking at me odd but hey .. its my home lol. might put it over the... out in the hall 'nods'
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I'm going to try and get your gift together and send it. Still, isn't it sad that Thanksgiving is so...skipped now?
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not by my family, mom will call and ask where i am and i'll have to go.. what day IS thanks giving agian 'sigh' im such a dork.
---------- Post added 11-02-2013 at 11:58 AM ---------- all though one of his bad qualities is he takes people for granted. or he goes and does things for PERFECT strangers,a nd yet doesn't puthalf the effort he does in the thing for strangers, with his friends. it annoys me. |
The 28th this month.
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If I had to make a 'random' uneducated guess, I would have to say that it was because Thanksgiving Day is relative only to your specific location. Canada has no reason to celebrate--or any other country for that matter--your Thanksgiving day. I'm surprised that Menewsha even allows real holidays at all; the faux holidays, even if around the same time as a real one, are much more exciting. The Phoenix Jubilee, Celes Paradi, etc. can really make Menewsha shine.
But back to your question: Ultimately it's just a popular vote. I don't give two shits about Thanksgiving because it's not a focus here. Perhaps in your country, to your family, sure, but not to me. Christmas isn't even that big, but I understand what it means and see it everywhere in December. There are holidays of harvest in the autumn, holidays for gift-giving in the winter, of rebirth in the spring, etc., you should understand where I'm going here. |
My mom works at a big chain craft store and they started getting Christmas stuff in AUGUST. There was Halloween and Christmas stuff up at the same time...and very little Thanksgiving decor. Around Christmas she starts to bring me Valentine's candy from work which just seems so awkward.
My mom used to have Thanksgiving off. Now they expect her in the afternoon, which doesn't allow us time to sit and spend our holiday together. I don't even go to their house on Thanksgiving because she winds up working to sell people crafts that really can wait until the next day or even the day after. They make a LOT of money on Thanksgiving because people will stop their holiday to get deals on stuff for Christmas. |
No, you're not cynical. This is a noticeable trend.
When I was younger, I used to take offense to it, bordering on rage, when people put their lights up before thanksgiving. Now, I've sunken into a despondent numbness, like something out of a Danish or Russian novel. Part of that is me being older and worn out, but I don't doubt that it's also because it's happening in many of the facets of your culture lately, not just home decoration. I started seeing commercials about it September. SEPTEMBER. Why is this happening? In part for financial and commercial issues. It's good for the company's that push it bottom line, because people feel they have to get worked up about Christmas. The material drives our modern western culture, so what they are doing seeps into what the masses are doing. Another reason? I think that people find themselves disconnected and unhappy in our current times, and latch onto Christmas. After all, it's "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year". They are hoping to absorb some of that cheer it's supposedly all about. Funny to me is the fact that the things that are pushed as the must have gifts every year are electronics like smartphones and tablets, which serve as distractions and further insulate ourselves from other people. |
My question exactly! Last week, the store I work at already put up Christmas Decorations. What, is Thanksgiving not good enough to have decorations out there...everywhere? Seriously?
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At my job, in retail, we got our Christmas decorations two weeks ago, maybe three. We had to wait for this weekend to put them up, but we had them ready by last week. It's horrible.
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A lot of shops here put their Christmas cards up at the end of August, and because Halloween barely registers as a holiday/cause for celebration in the UK most places i've had cause to go to had their Christmas stock out early-mid October.
There'll be Easter eggs and a deluge of flowers and cutesy teddies for Easter and V.day right after new years day, as there has been for a few years, and at the end of July radio presenters will start going on about 'X amount of sleeps/weeks till Christmas'. I agree with your sentiments exactly. Everything's just so commercialised now it takes a bit of the excitement out of it for me. |
I've never seen much of anything in a commercial way for Bonfire Night, though I do have the distance thing to contend with. But if it's true, I think it's great. Not only because it's disheartening, but also because it's a nice, small holiday, and I think works just the way it is.
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Is Thanksgiving that weird thing that comes before Black Friday?
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Ouch. Yeah, that's a holiday in itself now, isn't it?
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Thanksgiving just doesn't sell in the retail world the way Halloween and Christmas do.
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Heck just this weekend I went in to hobby lobby they only. had one aisle with thanksgiving stuff in it. the rest of them where Christmas by the check outs lines. they had 50% on fall and Christmas decor plus trees all ready. my mom went nuts trying to get a lot of angle related items. lols she drove me nut's!
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I've notice this too over the years. I think it's getting to the point that thanksgiving is not as a big event anymore. I feel like it's because as people learn about history and how people came over and took the land from the native Americans. And all of the other events that happened in the past history people seem to forget about it. Maybe it's because it's also an easy holiday. It's just a big family dinner and such. Than right after that everyone worries about black Friday.
Yes there's the parades and such but everyone is going to worry about Christmas because it's one of the biggest holidays. Everyone is going to rush to the stores and try to get gifts for there loved ones. I wouldn't say Valentines day is a big one. Yeah I know it's the day of love and everything but I feel like no one cares for it as much. It's Halloween and Christmas will always be the big holidays. Thanksgiving not so much. That's how I feel though. |
You know, I think I'd be absolutely happy if holidays didn't exist at all. But then again, I'm just an anti-social grump who hates holidays and feelings.
I quite like candy bargain days though. Those are great. /noms on discounted candy. |
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---------- Post added 11-05-2013 at 10:14 AM ---------- I admit, I do have holidays I care about. Being Wiccan, yes they have spiritual meaning to me, but they also mark seasons. My holidays tend to be multipurpose. But, I don't expect gifts or anything on those holidays, I'm in it for the meaning. Not the gaining. What happened to the 'meaning' of things I suppose is my issue. |
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