Save Thanksgiving

Crissy Lintner

Did anyone else notice last month that while Halloween costumes and candy were on display, Christmas decorations and gift ideas were starting to creep onto the aisles of your favorite stores? I did. And it made me sad. Where was Thanksgiving?

Maybe you found Thanksgiving like I did, tucked away with fall-themed paper plates and cups and a silly turkey hat at the One Spot at Target. Or, maybe your favorite store actually had a section devoted to Thanksgiving (outside of the grocery aisles). Better yet, maybe Christmas was still waiting its turn. However, if you’re like me, you noticed that Thanksgiving was silently pushed aside.

And now, Black Friday has officially taken over Thanksgiving. It’s been coming – retailers bringing Christmas décor and gift ideas out as early as August and September, you know, to subtly start reminding you that Christmas is only a few short months away. Then, last year, retailers like Best Buy opened Thanksgiving night for pre-Black Friday sales. Now this year, not only are retailers like Kmart, Toys R Us, Walmart and J.C. Penney opening on Thanksgiving Day, but some are opening as early as 6 a.m.! Sorry employees… no turkey and dressing for you.

The holidays have gotten out of hand. The success of Black Friday has become a monster that retailers feel they have to appease. They are forgetting their most important and core stakeholders: the employees. Thanksgiving used to be a holiday that allowed families to get together simply to eat, nap, watch football (ahem, #HAILSTATE #1 #EggBowl2014), enjoy the company of the ones we love and give thanks. No gifts. No stores. No deals.

Consumers appreciate businesses that consider their employees’ personal time. And there’s no bigger PR statement than that being made by the retailers who are NOT opening on Thanksgiving this year. It makes me proud that many are making a move to publicly state their position on remaining closed on this family-oriented day.

So, this holiday season, where will I be shopping? At afew of the places that are opting out of the Thanksgiving Day shenanigans and putting their employees’ needs first. See you soon, Costco, REI, Neiman Marcus, T.J. Maxx and Marshall’s! I know there are others here in Dallas, and those will be on my ‘nice’ list for this holiday season, too. #SaveThanksgiving