Seasonal question

[Disneylover99]

What about other businesses? Or all businesses in general? What makes them so special?

All businesses in general.

 

[disneychrista]

But once you move here wouldn’t you celebrate it? It’s not a religious holiday.

Isn’t thanksgiving for all Americans? Which was kind of the whole point of my ancestors on the Mayflower?

I may be the wrong person to ask this to, as I don't feel any real connection to holidays. The only thing about holidays I "celebrate" are the music and the food(s). To me Thanksgiving is eating a Turkey Dinner. Since, in this case, my boss was one a vegetarian and two not a American Citizen as he was here (at the time) on a work Visa I can see why he would not celebrate Thanksgiving.

 

[CdnCarrie]

I may be the wrong person to ask this to, as I don't feel any real connection to holidays. The only thing about holidays I "celebrate" are the music and the food(s). To me Thanksgiving is eating a Turkey Dinner. Since, in this case, my boss was one a vegetarian and two not a American Citizen as he was here (at the time) on a work Visa I can see why he would not celebrate Thanksgiving.

I get it if not a citizen.

No need to have family dinner be turkey!

 

[disneychrista]

No need to have family dinner be turkey!

If a family eats dinner together every night and does not have a connection to the holiday, what makes it any different from any other dinner if it is not a special meal, in this case the traditional Turkey dinner. I know for me the only time I have a Turkey Dinner is Thanksgiving.

 

[_19disnA]

Never thought about it either way. Restaurants only make money when they are open. Often times on a Holiday they will serve a buffet/brunch rather then have menu service so it makes it less complicated and probably need fewer workers. Some people prefer to eat out, may be out of town/traveling or on vacation and still need someplace to eat. I would imagine the also rotate who works and who doesn't and I have no issue with that.

 

[tvguy]

But once you move here wouldn’t you celebrate it? It’s not a religious holiday.
Up here it’s just a long weekend with a family dinner. Nothing to “celebrate “.

If I moved to India I would set off fireworks and exchange sweets on Diwali.
And if in Uk have a bonfire on Guy Fawkes night.

Isn’t thanksgiving for all Americans? Which was kind of the whole point of my ancestors on the Mayflower?

Well, there are some who consider Thanksgiving offensive because of how they feel those on the Mayflower mistreated Native Americans.
But there is no requirement to celebrate Thanksgiving.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Well, there are some who consider Thanksgiving offensive because of how they feel those on the Mayflower mistreated Native Americans.
But there is no requirement to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Good point!

 

[CdnCarrie]

If a family eats dinner together every night and does not have a connection to the holiday, what makes it any different from any other dinner if it is not a special meal, in this case the traditional Turkey dinner. I know for me the only time I have a Turkey Dinner is Thanksgiving.

Connection in what way?

I eat dinner with my family every night.
But on holidays I eat with extended family. That’s what makes it special.
But for sure not everyone does.

 

[georgina]

I have celebrated Thanksgiving on Friday or Saturday. LOTS of people work essential jobs on the Thursday - hospitals, nursing homes, hotels, public transit workers, pilots, flight attendants, police, etc. TV stations don’t run themselves. If a retail business wants to close, fine, but I have no problem with restaurants staying open.

I wonder how people would feel about Disney World closing on holidays?

 

[disneychrista]

Connection in what way?

I eat dinner with my family every night.
But on holidays I eat with extended family. That’s what makes it special.
But for sure not everyone does.

Well for me I guess I don't feel that holidays are special in that I don't get warm fuzzies about them. I enjoy eating special meals and listening to festive music but other than that they are just another day. There are no real family traditions unless you count the meal being served later than planned and my mom yelling at my dad about one thing or another. We don't have big family celebrations with extended family. It is just my daughters (if they come), my parents and myself. I am guessing once my parents are gone, there won't be any type of get together at all.

And in the case of my boss, he has no extended family in the US.

 

[DCLMP]

Today I was wondering why people think it's horrible for grocery and retail stores to be open on Thanksgiving but think nothing of it for restaurants to be opened. All are staffed by workers who have families. What do you think?

I would classify a grocery stores and restaurants more as essential since thanksgiving is mostly about food, but that's up to the to individual business. The grocery stores in my area all close early on Thanksgiving. I guess there's enough people that eat out on Thanksgiving for some restaurants to stay open. I see no reason for a retail store to stay open especially in this day and age when you can shop online.

 

[DCLMP]

Well for me I guess I don't feel that holidays are special in that I don't get warm fuzzies about them. I enjoy eating special meals and listening to festive music but other than that they are just another day. There are no real family traditions unless you count the meal being served later than planned and my mom yelling at my dad about one thing or another. We don't have big family celebrations with extended family. It is just my daughters (if they come), my parents and myself. I am guessing once my parents are gone, there won't be any type of get together at all.

And in the case of my boss, he has no extended family in the US.

That's depressing.

 

[DCLMP]

My dh and I both work essential jobs that require working some, but not all holidays. That being said I LOVE the holidays. I'm off Thanksgiving and Christmas this year and very much looking forward to it. Thanksgiving is my favorite. I love to cook and reflect on everything I have to be thankful for.

 

[JLTraveling]

Of course, I was referring to those businesses that have actual "closed" hours. I was meaning - don't schedule only lower seniority people for 8 hour shifts during the day. How about everyone, regardless of seniority, works a 4 hour shift that day?

I worked for years over major holidays, and I get that Christmas/Thanksgiving "dinner" may actually wind up being a brunch at 10 am, or dinner at 10 pm.

The first holiday I ever had to work, I was 18 and working 16 hour weekend shifts at a residential mental health facility. Christmas fell on Saturday, so I worked. Our huge family Christmas gathering (about 30-35 people) was at my/my parents' house that year. And every year at least for my lifetime, Christmas dinner was always served at 2pm and everyone went home by 7 or so.

So imagine my shock when I walked in the door at midnight and EVERYONE was still there! Even my elderly grandparents and great-aunts and great-uncles. They had eaten once already, but every single person fixed at least a small plate and sat down with me to celebrate. Such a special memory, and so completely unexpected.

In response to the question, I don't mind places being open on Thanksgiving (or Christmas). But I HATE that Black Friday now starts on Thanksgiving. I feel like it shows the worst of modern society for everyone to sit down and give thanks, and then two hours later go on a consumerist mad dash. Or worse yet, the people who skip Thanksgiving altogether to camp out in front of Best Buy for a new TV. When I was a kid, Black Friday was fun. It was the kickoff to the holiday shopping season, and it started about 6am ON FRIDAY. That separation just feels right somehow.

 

[disneychrista]

In response to the question, I don't mind places being open on Thanksgiving (or Christmas). But I HATE that Black Friday now starts on Thanksgiving. I feel like it shows the worst of modern society for everyone to sit down and give thanks, and then two hours later go on a consumerist mad dash. Or worse yet, the people who skip Thanksgiving altogether to camp out in front of Best Buy for a new TV. When I was a kid, Black Friday was fun. It was the kickoff to the holiday shopping season, and it started about 6am ON FRIDAY. That separation just feels right somehow.

That seems to be one positive change in the last few years. More and more places are now staying closed on Thanksgiving Day and spreading “Black Friday” over several days/weeks.

 

[kymom99]

The first holiday I ever had to work, I was 18 and working 16 hour weekend shifts at a residential mental health facility. Christmas fell on Saturday, so I worked. Our huge family Christmas gathering (about 30-35 people) was at my/my parents' house that year. And every year at least for my lifetime, Christmas dinner was always served at 2pm and everyone went home by 7 or so.

So imagine my shock when I walked in the door at midnight and EVERYONE was still there! Even my elderly grandparents and great-aunts and great-uncles. They had eaten once already, but every single person fixed at least a small plate and sat down with me to celebrate. Such a special memory, and so completely unexpected.

In response to the question, I don't mind places being open on Thanksgiving (or Christmas). But I HATE that Black Friday now starts on Thanksgiving. I feel like it shows the worst of modern society for everyone to sit down and give thanks, and then two hours later go on a consumerist mad dash. Or worse yet, the people who skip Thanksgiving altogether to camp out in front of Best Buy for a new TV. When I was a kid, Black Friday was fun. It was the kickoff to the holiday shopping season, and it started about 6am ON FRIDAY. That separation just feels right somehow.

That’s a sweet memory!

Years ago, my mom, my sister and I would go shopping on Black Friday. We didn’t have to go out at midnight. Stores didn’t open till about 9 am. It was never crazy. We just had a fun day with all the Christmas decorations and some good sales. Such a fun time. Now Christmas is shoved down our throats from October on.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I worked with didn’t celebrate thanksgiving and some of them would actively seek out people to swap shifts with who did want to be off (which some departments allowed so long as it didn’t generate overtime).

That was nice of them.

It's just part of certain jobs.

Working holidays sucks but it's a part of certain jobs.

And I think it's one reason (in a long list of them) why people aren't willing to take those jobs lately.

Just because something has always been a certain way, doesn't mean it actually makes sense, or is actually necessary.

 

[EACarlson]

I'm all for any and all private businesses deciding for themselves when to be open and when to close. I was a restaurant manager for years and I always asked my staff if they wanted to be open when given the choice. Some years I would have lots of employees that wanted to work and some years nobody would.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Well for me I guess I don't feel that holidays are special in that I don't get warm fuzzies about them. I enjoy eating special meals and listening to festive music but other than that they are just another day. There are no real family traditions unless you count the meal being served later than planned and my mom yelling at my dad about one thing or another. We don't have big family celebrations with extended family. It is just my daughters (if they come), my parents and myself. I am guessing once my parents are gone, there won't be any type of get together at all.

And in the case of my boss, he has no extended family in the US.

Well we are talking about a Canadian/American holiday so your non resident boss isn’t part of the equation.

Holidays are what you make of them. I guess be thankful for your children and parents and just enjoy the time with them.
It’s not the size of the family that matters.

 

[easyas123]

Many of my neighbors are immigrants and do not celebrate Thanksgiving.

Isn’t thanksgiving for all Americans

Our son recently became engaged to a young lady who immigrated as a child with her family, she recently shared with me that Thanksgiving was a big holiday for them, it was the first holiday they experienced when moving to the US and explained that it made her parents "feel like Americans" to celebrate it. They have extended family all along the east coast that gathers for it every year. It was so moving to hear her tell this story of their first (and subsequent) Thanksgivings.