The Slice: Calendar poses challenge to casual goodbyes

Right now, it’s easy.

When exchanging goodbyes with someone you probably won’t encounter again for a while, you can just say “Have a happy Thanksgiving.”

Clean. Neat. Simple. And you’re out.

But what about right after Thanksgiving? For those you see on a regular basis, that will be too early to start in with the “Have a merry Christmas”/“Happy holidays” routine.

How about people such as your dentist or the person who cuts your hair? Maybe you won’t see them again until next year. So will it be time to shift into season’s greetings mode? Or is that still too early?

I’ll send a coveted reporter’s notebook to the reader articulating the best policy. Extra points for brevity.

Win two tickets to next Saturday afternoon’s GU men’s basketball game: It’s against Western Michigan and will be played at the Spokane Arena.

You can find entry details on The Slice Blog at spokesman.com/blogs/slice/.

Just wondering: How many records would Bing have sold if the song had been called “White Thanksgiving”?

Please identify your approach to the looming shopping frenzy: A) “I believe it is my task to personally revive our sluggish economy.” B) “I intend to look for bargains on all sorts of utterly unnecessary imported junk.” C) “There’s nothing like joyless crowds pushing and shoving in the discount electronics aisle to get me in the spirit of the season.” D) “Surgical strikes.” E) “I’m more in tune with the Advent calendar than with the whole concept of door-busting Black Friday blowouts.” F) “I’ll be looking for stores that open at 3 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day.” G) “I need to start early because by Pearl Harbor Day tinny Christmas music playing in stores makes me want to harm myself and others.” H) “First, I’m going to try to establish the run.” I) Other.

Warm-up question: In what class did you get an F? Was it deserved?

Today’s Slice question: What percentage of the time are parents of kids recently enrolled in day care sick as dogs?