RIP Thanksgiving .

[disneychrista]

Is it just me or is this the final nail in the coffin of family time? Really Walmart??? Providing a Thanksgiving dinner to it’s employees. How wonderful of you! !

I guess it is just me that thinks it is a GREAT that Walmart is proving a Turkey Dinner for employees who have to work that day.

If people would stop shopping on holidays then Walmart would not be open. So don't blame Walmart blame the American Consumer.

 

[kwelch10377]

For many years my mom has had to work on Thanksgiving and we just worked around her schedule and dealt with it.

It has come to the point that for some retailers they don't have a choice but to be open on Thanksgiving because they need to be able to compete and yes, god forbid make money. My company is opening on Thanksgiving night for the first time this year. We have been losing BF sales the past few years because so many people are now going places that are open on Thanksgiving night and forgoing the Early Bird sales on Friday morning. From a sales standpoint we really didn't have a choice. It was either open on Thanksgiving night to compete or face a decline in sales and possibly having to do things to make up for the loss in sales like cut associates hours or even layoffs.

 

[wvjules]

Personally, I don't think it's a big deal. So you have to move your dinner time to earlier than planned. Is that such a problem? You still get family time.

And I do think it's great that Wal-Mart is offering a meal for their employees, holiday pay, and the additional discount.

And since he does work at Walmart, haven't any of you conisdered the possibliity that he would be working that day? He's going to be working like mad the next month or so.

It's hardly RIP Thanksgiving. That's being a bit dramatic.

And FTR, DD works a a pizza chain. Last year she missed the family Christmas Eve church service, dinner and gift opening with DBF's family for the first time ever. When she got home from work we opened our gifts from each other, watched A Christmas Story by the fire and then went to bed. Was I sad she missed Christmas Eve with the family? Yes. However, we still had our family time, it was just later than planned. And I enjoyed it just as much.

 

[detarica]

I was a Wal-Mart employee in college. It was my first job. I no longer shop there at all. No good deal is worth your selling your soul to that company. I saw them treat people horribly, use illegal labor practices, and purposely hold benefits back from people when they deserved them. They post large profits while most of their workers have to reach out for food stamps and WIC because Wal-Mart hires lots of part time employees and makes them work short shifts (I was asked to work 5 four hour shifts for 20 hours) so they can withhold paid breaks and lunch. This means that at the end of the week, those employees have less than 32 hours worked most at near minimum wage. Take home pay of less than $200 a week or $800 a month. Roughly the cost of most 1 bedroom apartments without food, water, electricity, diapers, formula, not to mention any of the "wants". That is also considering that the person is part time and not eligible for health insurance. So who is paying for the difference between Wal-mart wages and the poverty line for this company that, again posts huge profits? The American tax payers. The next time that people want to get down on people who take welfare, think about the companies that you support that depend on you paying for their employees benefits without compromising their profits. We pay through food stamps, we pay through WIC, we pay through Section 8 housing. What could Wal-Mart do differently to be a good citizen company? They could hire use full time employment, grant benefits, abide by fair labor practices as a practice, not just a façade, and pay a fair wage. And let your employees spend Thanksgiving with their families.

 

[Tinkerdreams]

If you only have to adjust the time you do the meal, then technically you don't have a RIP Thanksgiving. I hope your family enjoys their meal on Thanksgiving Day.

Well Thanksgiving is more than just the meal. It's the time we spend together whether its catching up, playing board games, watching the game on TV, etc. To spend the day together is one of the aspects of the holiday.

disneychrista - yes, as in my first post, I do blame the American public. If no one participates, then the retailers won't open.

It's just not Walmart, every retailer is jumping on the bandwagon and one-upping each other on the opening time. You have some opening at 10 p.m., others say they are going to join in and open at 9 p.m., while others such as Walmart are going to begin their black Thursday at 8 p.m. I'm fearing that by the time we actually get to Thanksgiving week, they'll all be opening for their big day at 6 a.m. LOL!!

 

[Curiouser&curiouser!]

Sorry that your son won't be there for Thanksgiving. I have been there myself (for retail) and have had family in a similar situation. It stinks but you try to make it work as best you can.

I have never shopped on Thanksgiving. I won't be shopping that day this year. The only way it will change is if people stop shopping on Thanksgiving. Until then, you gotta do what you gotta do.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

[Hrhpd]

Well instead of having a wonderful FAMILY day on Thanksgiving, my son will be having Thanksgiving dinner with his employer and his co-workers  Walmart!!!

Is it just me or is this the final nail in the coffin of family time? Really Walmart??? Providing a Thanksgiving dinner to its employees. How wonderful of you! After all, his family couldnt possibly provide a dinner for him to enjoy with his loved ones. Instead, he now gets to spend time with strangers and acquantinces.

Is it remotely possible for the American public to not shop for a day? Does family mean less than the almightly dollar? I really believe that this society needs to take a look at their priorities. And, if the polls are true, then 80% of this country does not support these businesses imposing on their holiday!!

Vent over. Thanks for listening - Ugh!!

Only if you can convince the American public to not get sick on Thanksgiving, to not have any crime, to not start their kitchen on fire with their turkey and then not go out to eat in that restaurant, not to go to a movie or even to not go to Disney.

While I won't be shopping on Thanksgiving, I can't see the huge outrage. Our doctors, nurses, police, firefighters, movie theater employees, restaurant workers and Disney workers have been doing it for ages without all the angst and fuss retail workers are making.

I can't see how it is ok to go to a restaurant for Thanksgiving because you don't want to cook, but a store opening up is completely evil.

I do understand that many people work on holidays - police officers, hospital personnel, firefighters, etc. These are necessary regardless if there is a holiday or not. We are talking about people shopping - they are not keeping us safe, tending to our illnesses or injuries, etc.

I also have no problem adjusting the time we have our meal and am going to but I cannot change the day. My daughter is flying in Wednesday night and I am going to Disney the day after (hurray for that one!! ). Not a lot of wiggle room this year.

I'm sure by next year this won't be an issue since he is looking for other employment.

what about the movie theater employees, the restaurant workers, the airline people? I notice you are heading down to Disney Thanksgiving week. Shouldn't you reschedule because somebody may be missing their dinner? They may have had to work Thanksgiving day and were planning on having dinner on your flight day?

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

If people would stop shopping on holidays then Walmart would not be open. So don't blame Walmart blame the American Consumer.

Exactly

 

[sam_gordon]

I can't see how it is ok to go to a restaurant for Thanksgiving because you don't want to cook, but a store opening up is completely evil.

Or watch TV or get gas or stay in a hotel, etc, etc, etc.

 

[kkmcan]

Well instead of having a wonderful FAMILY day on Thanksgiving, my son will be having Thanksgiving dinner with his employer and his co-workers – Walmart!!!

Is it just me or is this the final nail in the coffin of family time? Really Walmart??? Providing a Thanksgiving dinner to it’s employees. How wonderful of you! After all, his family couldn’t possibly provide a dinner for him to enjoy with his loved ones. Instead, he now gets to spend time with strangers and acquantinces.

Is it remotely possible for the American public to not shop for a day? Does family mean less than the almightly dollar? I really believe that this society needs to take a look at their priorities. And, if the polls are true, then 80% of this country does not support these businesses imposing on their holiday!!

Vent over. Thanks for listening - Ugh!!

Total agree with you OP! I remember the days when nothing was open on holidays, absolutely nothing and it was fine. The world didn't end because there weren't stores open.

My dd16 works at a movie theater and she will probably be working on Thanksgiving as well as a Christmas. I asked her if she wanted to try and take off those days and she said, "Why? Are we going some where?" I told her no, I just wanted her home. She is still a child and deserves to enjoy her last few years of childhood at home with her family on the holiday. She said no way, no how could she ask for time off without a good reason. And she wouldn't lie and say we were going somewhere.

I am so proud of her, she is the most honest person I know. But I sad that she may not be home for these important holidays with her family. We'll see when her schedule comes out. Maybe she'll get a little pixie dust
from her employer and get them off.

 

[Hrhpd]

Well Thanksgiving is more than just the meal. It's the time we spend together whether its catching up, playing board games, watching the game on TV, etc. To spend the day together is one of the aspects of the holiday.

disneychrista - yes, as in my first post, I do blame the American public. If no one participates, then the retailers won't open.

It's just not Walmart, every retailer is jumping on the bandwagon and one-upping each other on the opening time. You have some opening at 10 p.m., others say they are going to join in and open at 9 p.m., while others such as Walmart are going to begin their black Thursday at 8 p.m. I'm fearing that by the time we actually get to Thanksgiving week, they'll all be opening for their big day at 6 a.m. LOL!!

If you are so concerned, you should definitely NOT support watching football on tv Thanksgiving morning.

The players, coaches, stadium workers, tv personnel are all missing Thanksgiving with their families just so you can watch a silly game on TV. They are not saving lives or keeping us safe, they are just providing entertainment.

To paraphrase your words: Can't the American public just stop watching football on Thanksgiving

(like that would ever happen )

 

[Simba's Mom]

Unfortunately, many of us have watched Thanksgiving slowly die out for years. People, including Walmart management apparently, just don't honor it as a family holiday. They just see the dollar signs as the big "kick-off" to Christmas shopping. We have little enough family time, and to see the Thanksgiving holiday, and its associated family time, disrespected like that, I don't blame you at all for being upset.

 

[Tinkerdreams]

If you are so concerned, you should definitely NOT support watching football on tv Thanksgiving morning.

The players, coaches, stadium workers, tv personnel are all missing Thanksgiving with their families just so you can watch a silly game on TV. They are not saving lives or keeping us safe, they are just providing entertainment.

To paraphrase your words: Can't the American public just stop watching football on Thanksgiving

(like that would ever happen )

Oh I don't know, if I was making thousands of dollars for a 3 hour game, I'm in!! Unfortunately, minimum wage - not so much.

 

[skatalite]

If you are so concerned, you should definitely NOT support watching football on tv Thanksgiving morning.

The players, coaches, stadium workers, tv personnel are all missing Thanksgiving with their families just so you can watch a silly game on TV. They are not saving lives or keeping us safe, they are just providing entertainment.

To paraphrase your words: Can't the American public just stop watching football on Thanksgiving

(like that would ever happen )

 

[luvsJack]

Well Thanksgiving is more than just the meal. It's the time we spend together whether its catching up, playing board games, watching the game on TV, etc. To spend the day together is one of the aspects of the holiday.

disneychrista - yes, as in my first post, I do blame the American public. If no one participates, then the retailers won't open.

It's just not Walmart, every retailer is jumping on the bandwagon and one-upping each other on the opening time. You have some opening at 10 p.m., others say they are going to join in and open at 9 p.m., while others such as Walmart are going to begin their black Thursday at 8 p.m. I'm fearing that by the time we actually get to Thanksgiving week, they'll all be opening for their big day at 6 a.m. LOL!!

It is more than a meal for us too. And it is more than a meal for Dh's family--three will be missing this year from the extended family meal as well as each of their own immediate family celebrations. And all three miss Christmas too. Heck they are so spread out on their time home/work there is no common time to even plan to have all of them there. (one works 7/7, one works 14/14 and ds works 21/21)

They knew that some holidays would be missed when they took the jobs.

If Walmart has always opened on Thanksgiving, even if only with a bare bones crew, your ds should have expected to work on that day at some point.

Not saying you don't have a right to vent about it, you do; but you really need to look at it calmly and realistically. You son is not missing Thanksgiving. He will only be gone for part of it.

 

[akhenaten]

Oh I don't know, if I was making thousands of dollars for a 3 hour game, I'm in!! Unfortunately, minimum wage - not so much.

Lol... Like stadium workers make thousands of dollars....

 

[anniemae]

OK, I have a few questions. Is Walmart going to be opening at 8pm? I was unsure if they were opening for the whole day or at night. I caught something on the news about it.

also, How will they serve a T-Day dinner? Do they have kitchens and people to cook, or will they cater it? Not sure how they will pull that off. I think black friday shopping has become a sport of sorts. People love the "hunt" and getting a bargain. I know people who get together and plan where they will shop and make a morning out of it and go out for breakfast after. It seems to have become part of Thanksgiving and is getting more and more popular, hence the stores opening earlier and earlier. If they are opening at 8pm, then your son will be home all day won't he? Or does he have to go in earlier? Either way, it does stink but that's retail I guess.

 

[Hrhpd]

Oh I don't know, if I was making thousands of dollars for a 3 hour game, I'm in!! Unfortunately, minimum wage - not so much.

What about the people working the concessions? They are making minimum wage. So are the parking lot employees and the janitors. And last I knew, the college players are not making the big bucks yet. They are college kids missing Thanksgiving with their families.

If you have ever gone to a restaurant on Thanksgiving, ever ran to the grocery store because you forgot an ingredient for your big meal, ever watched the news, football or anything else on tv, ever filled up your tank of gas while driving to Grandma's, ever flown to relatives, ever gone to Disney -

You are no different than those that shop at Wal-Mart on Thanksgiving.

That said, I am old enough to remember when absolutely nothing was open. If you forgot the sage, tough luck. You filled up the night before. You planned. So, I am in favor of everything being closed, including restaurants, theaters, stores.

Football and the Macy's parade are pretty much equivalent to doctors and nurses working Heck, DS has high school football practice on Thanksgiving morning if they make it that far in the playoffs since the championship game would be on Saturday (and they are expected to.)

Did anybody see the article where Ohio has introduced a bill that everybody gets triple holiday pay if you are open on Thanksgiving?

 

[sapdaddy2]

Is he working the entire day? We've changed our dinner times over the years to accommodate people if we could. I have several nurses and a few doctors in the family so missing relatives is nothing new. Sometimes people have to work and no one is forcing them to take any particular job.

Doctors, Nurses, Police and Firemen are important vital services that are needed 24/7. A Walmat being open is not that important, Walmat can stay closed and let it's employees enjoy the holiday

 

[chiefmickeymouse]

I agree with you, OP. There is no need for Walmart to be open on Thanksgiving. This must be why they are running all the advertisements on tv telling us how great it is to work at Walmart!