Happy Thanksgiving to all reading this blog and all my others blogs!

It seems that Thanksgiving has lost it’s true meaning today.  It’s not a special holiday it used to be.

When the Pilgrims first came over to this country on the Mayflower.  They left England because of religious persecution.  They landed on Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts.  They befriended the Indians when they came to this country. It was the Indians that taught them about gardening and living off the land.  If they put a fish in the soil as they plant corn or whatever, it will help produce a good crops.

They had some rough years and times before their bounty came in.  When the harvest finally came, it was time to celebrate.  Thus became the first Thanksgiving.  They celebrate Thanksgiving with a feast that they share not just with families, but also with friends and neighbors.  They made friends with the Indians and celebrate Thanksgiving with them.

Years later, under Pres. Abe Lincoln, he proclaimed the last Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving.

It all changed now, as Thanksgiving seems to got lost in translation.  Greed seems to set in.  People doesn’t seems to get together much anymore.  This became the downfall of this country.

First, when stores were allowed to be open on Sunday.  Then soon stores chose to be open on Thanksgiving.  Business chose on making a profit over family spending time together and giving thanks.

I heard that Kmart was one of the first retail stores that decided to be open on Thanksgiving.  When I first started working at Kmart, over 11 years ago, the store was closed on Thanksgiving.  We had to worked overnight to get ready for the big Black Friday sales though.

It seems Black Friday had fast became the biggest national retail holiday ever.  People would stand in line practically all night and wait until the stores open; just so they can get the best deals ever.  Don’t they realize that they may get things on sale, but really there is no real deal.  Businesses jot the prices up high first than they put it on sale.

I never shop Black Friday until I worked overnight at Kmart.  Then, since I was already in the store anyway, I took advantage of the Black Friday sales while I was there.

Let me tell you something about Black Friday.  It’s very tiresome and stressful.  When it’s over you just want to curl up in bed and sleep.

Soon retail had a crazy thought in their head to try to beat the Black Friday sales rush.  Now that is down-right greedy.  They don’t care about family.  They just care about the money.

Kmart made a decision to be open around 6am on Thanksgiving Day and remained open Friday at midnight when they first decided to be opened on Thanksgiving Day.  When that the employees practically worked around the clock on very little sleep and under lots of stress.

Other stores soon followed but not as long as Kmart.  Some opened at 6pm Thanksgiving Day, and some opened at 11pm or midnight.

Now some businesses are slowly wising up.  Some are choosing not to open up at all on Thanksgiving Day.  Mills Fleet Farm, which is an employee run store is one of the first store that will not be open on Thanksgiving Day.

This year more stores are joining the bandwagon and not open on Thanksgiving Day.  Check your listing to see what stores were smart and what stores were greedy.

Another bad holiday for stores to be open is Christmas Eve.  If you are not done Christmas Shopping by Christmas Eve with gifts, the meals, decoration, cookies, etc. Then you need psychological help.  Get your shopping done early!  Beat the rush!

If you are thinking, oh I might get what I want on sale, think again.  Businesses jack the prices up even higher.  When the product is gone is gone.  All the good stuff will be gone before you know it.  You have no right to bitch and complain that you didn’t get that item you wanted to buy.  So don’t blame the retails and the employees for your stupidity.

I always start early with my Christmas shopping.  Now I’m pretty much done; except for few gift cards.  I’m not a big shopper.  I go in, get what I want and get the hell out.  Retail probably hates me and I work in retail.

If you really feel sorry for those who have to work on Thanksgiving, I have this one thing to say.  Don’t shop on Thanksgiving Day!!. Don’t say, “what you are open?”  Businesses are open because people are dumb enough to shop on Thanksgiving.  That is how greed had set in and ruin Thanksgiving.

It’s time the people take back Thanksgiving and bring it to the way it was meant to be.  It’s time we share Thanksgiving with our friends and family, like the pilgrims did the first Thanksgiving.  That’s how we take back America and make America great again.

You may not want to spend time with your family but do it anyway.  Especially if you truly feels sorry for those who have to work on Thanksgiving.  Put a love in your heart!