Stuff That Turkey With Some Kindness

It’s always stylish to bash the commercialization of Christmas. We overspend our budgets, get tired of the continual advertising and take on decidedly anti-commercialization attitudes. Of course, we are not the guilty ones but we can easily spot “those people” who have gone too far. One hundred strands of icicle lights are OK; one hundred and one is over the line. The trend continues today.

Thanksgiving doesn’t have those problems. You don’t hear much about the overcommercialization of giving thanks. No stylized turkeys in backward baseball hats. No strands of brightly lighted Pilgrims and Indians decorating houses. No large lighted turkeys in front yards. And pumpkin pie is a marketer’s nightmare. Zero sex appeal.

Yes, Thanksgiving can be a hard sell. And if you can’t sell it, why bother when you have the Christmas bonanza staring you right in the face? Down with the plastic jack-o’-lanterns and up with the plastic Christmas trees. Current numbers indicate the strategy is working. That’s good. We need successful businesses for our continued prosperity.

So, it’s up to each individual to decide. It’s up to us in the consumer community to be vigilant. It is our responsibility to call a time out and preserve the custom of sharing the harvest and giving thanks. We must resist the urge to set the Mayflower adrift and head to the mall.

Most of us don’t count our blessings often enough as it is. To let Barbie dolls and PlayStations overwhelm a holiday devoted to reflection on family, friends and sharing good fortune would be our mistake.

Thanksgiving isn’t about money.

There’s not much money in selling turkeys for a quarter per pound but grocery stores continue to do it. With all the gluttony surrounding Thanksgiving, grocers no doubt make good money. But because stores offer turkeys at affordable prices some families can buy one for themselves and one for the food bank, too. Because, it is also our responsibility to make sure that those among us who cannot find anything to be thankful for at least have a hearty meal. It feels good to help someone out.

There is not much monetary profit to be made from giving thanks. It comes back to us in other ways intangible and hard to describe. You can’t buy hearts.