Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Part of the problem????

I have not blogged in forever........ but maybe today will mark the beginning of my normal blogging again ;) 

First of all, Happy Thanksgiving! 

For the last couple of weeks I have been watching different friends post about stores being open on Thanksgiving. Some are hugely against it, while some are excited about the deals.
I keep seeing a "badge" people keep posting that if you shop on Thanksgiving then you are part of the problem.......

What problem exactly? 

People post that it isn't fair that employees don't get to be home with their families because they have to work. People are not thankful for what they have because they want to go shopping for more stuff they don't really need...... ok I get it. But why is it only one sided? Really, there are 2 sides to everything. 

Walmart is never closed on Thanksgiving, so them having a sale that starts at 6pm doesn't mean anything. People were already going to be working because the store is usually open anyways! You know why? Because there are a bunch of people that in the middle of making their Thanksgiving dinner are going to remember something that they forgot to get and need to run out to get it. Those people are going to be very happy Walmart is open and won't be complaining.  No one last year was complaining about Walmart being open (without a sale) and all of the poor people who had to work in case Joe Schmo down the street forgot to buy butter.

Some people count it as a blessing to work on Thanksgiving.  Did you ever think of that? Most companies pay time and a half to work holidays. There are many people right now that the extra $50 on their paycheck and working Thanksgiving is a huge blessing, or even a huge need! I have seen quite a few people who have said they are glad to work, single moms, families who have had an unemployed husband for the last 4 months, people who have unexpected car expenses. They would rather work and have the extra money.

Also why doesn't anyone cry and complain that it isn't fair that cops get the day off? Or how about firefighters, hospital workers, ambulance workers, hotel personnel...... etc
Lots of people work on Thanksgiving. 

Which brings me to my next point. Why is it such a big deal?  Thanksgiving, I mean. 
People say that you need to spend the day with your family and be thankful for what you have...... blah, blah, blah.
Well, in my opinion if it takes Thanksgiving day for this to happen then you have a bigger problem than people working on Thanksgiving. 
Seriously, I am thankful for what I have every day, not just the fourth Thursday in November. I also spend time with my family and friends more than once a year. Just because the calendar says Thanksgiving day doesn't mean that is the only day to celebrate being thankful and loving your family. 

I mean really, most of you, your day consists of spending most of the day in the kitchen cooking (not actually spending time with your family), watching football games (again not quality time), stressing out because your family is stupid and you really wish you weren't around them in the first place (as your drunk relative is talking about who knows what).
You spent all of your day and way too much money being irritated,  not thankful. 

I understand that many of you love Thanksgiving with your family, but not everyone feels the same. 

All week people were asking me if I am ready for Thanksgiving. Yup, I sure am because I am honestly not treating it different from any other day. We have some wonderful friends coming over for dinner (We have friends over for dinner quite often). I am making stuffed shells for dinner, not turkey. You see, I want to actually be able to enjoy my company when they are over, not stress about a 10 course meal that cost me more than a weeks worth of groceries. 

Yes, I am going to be thankful for what I have and the people that I get to spend Thanksgiving with, but I am thankful for that every single day out of the year. 

I am not going to be shopping tomorrow. Not because I am boycotting stores being open, but because I don't have any money....lol

Which brings me to my last point. People say why not be thankful for what you already have instead of worrying about getting something else. But for some people some of these sales are how the can afford to buy things that they need. No, I'm not talking about a flat screen tv or iPad. No one NEEDS those things, but some sales are things people actually need. A lot of stores sell very cheap clothes, appliances, blankets, shoes, dishes, etc.
One of the things I had been looking at were washers and dryers, and had I have not found one last week I would still be searching the ads for. 

There are a lot of things that I need for my kitchen (obviously, need is being used loosely because I don't "need" it, but it makes my life a lot easier) The Kohl's ad caught my eye and honestly, had they have not started their sale early online I would have probably gone tomorrow night. The only time I can really afford to buy some of the stuff that I want is on black Friday/Thursday. Example, last week my hand kitchen mixer broke. To buy a new one like I had would cost me about $40. I was able to get the same mixer at Kohl's online this week on sale and with rebates for about $5. That is a huge difference and wikth a family as large as mine where every penny is needed that sale was a "need" for me. 

I am not trying to pick sides of who is right or who is wrong when it comes to this subject,  but I think it is important to know that there are 2 sides just like anything else. Some good points and some bad points and I felt the need to point out some of the good because all you ever hear about is the bad. The bad is obviously the ridiculous amount of people literally fighting over electronics and toys, but there is some good to certain people too.