Where Did Thanksgiving Go?

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On the fourth Thursday of November, lots of people sit down and, well, pig out with too much turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and a veggie or two until they feel like their stomachs are going to burst.

Wow. Sounds like fun, huh? 

It’s so important that it’s a holiday. You get a day off, with pay. It’s an excuse to see family. You travel by car, you travel by plane, or maybe there’s enough family in your house already! Or, maybe they’re coming to see you.

That first Thanksgiving. Pilgrims. Religion. Turkey wasn’t even the star of the meal! Certainly, this special day has evolved into something else. And, amazingly enough, those pesky marketers have barely begun to take advantage of it, choosing to exploit the “Ho Ho Ho” of Jolly Saint Nick instead. Whatever happened to the Turkey Trot?

In October, the stores were all aglow touting everything orange and black; yes, and some green and purple items too. Costumes, pumpkins, lighting, fog machines. Yeah; we’ve got to have it all!

In the meantime, some stores were already hawking the red and the green; ready to spring into full action. And, the day after Halloween, the leftovers are shoved into a corner and reduced for quick sale. And now it’s time. Suddenly, the red and the green seems to multiply faster than bunny rabbits. The amount of floor space it creeps into is considerable in a cheery effort to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

And you do. Who doesn’t like pretty lights and elegant trees?
Oh! Wait a minute. What happened to Thanksgiving? Ah, there it is. There’s a couple of different sizes of paper turkeys and some resin varieties too. Well, dear marketers, this is the last frontier; why have you been holding out on us?  Those paper plates would look perfect with a scoop of mashed potatoes on them.

Colors of maize, butternut, and pumpkin with a little red thrown in. A turkey that’s not named Tom, nor is a butterball, that doesn’t wind up on someone’s table. The first Thanksgiving had seafood and other fowl besides turkey. Why hasn’t someone created cartoon characters and a whole new tradition with an annual TV special? Oh, if this has been done, pardon me!

C’mon marketing powers that be: Get those thinking caps on. Oh! The opportunity! Dancing clams and lobsters! Thanksgiving swans!  The possibilities are endless.

Wait! Maybe there is a light at the end of tunnel after all, and its name is Walmart! Walmart has boldly stepped where other stores have feared to go; for your consideration and to avoid having you trampled on by over-excited sale seekers they are opening at 8PM on Thanksgiving! Jolly good, now we can walk off those calories and belch our way through the aisles of bargains and buy Christmas stuff! Should we be thanking them for this extraordinary opportunity? 

Brace yourselves, folks. The holiday season is almost here. And for me? I’m still basking in the orange glow of Halloween! There are still a few light sets left to take in from outside. Eh, I’ll put them inside my home after Thanksgiving!

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