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| Christmas Eve 2011 |
Christmas sneaks up on me every year. If you know me it
should come as no surprise that I try to avoid shopping centers or just going
shopping period. So, today when I went into town and saw the Christmas lights
already in place, dangling in the wind and the rain, I felt a slap in the face
and woke up. There is no avoiding the inevitable holiday stress of shopping for
gifts. Americans have this tradition called “Black Friday,” the day after
thanksgiving huge sales attract swarms of consumer hungry people to stand in
endless lines looking for the best buy. Shop owners, which are comprised mostly
now of large corporations, and credit card companies jump up and down rubbing
their greedy little hands in glee. For one day the economy is fat and stuffed
like the turkey that was eaten the day before.
We have no Thanksgiving here in Norway and the turkeys in
the frozen section are never bigger than 12 pounds. Still, as an American, I
have carried the tradition of thanksgiving every year, until now. This year I am forgetting the turkey. My
family is too busy to set aside the time to help me celebrate this part of my
American heritage. Maybe I will make a turkey dinner later, but it would not be
the same. Times like this are when I miss my family in the states the most. I
miss having this part of my family around a large table, sharing a meal and celebrating what
we are thankful for. So tomorrow when all of you give thanks, remember the most
important thing to give thanks for, time spent with your family. Happy Thanksgiving
to all my American friends and family and for those of you that are planning on
standing in “Black Friday” lines, good luck! You can be sure that I am grateful
there are no such lines here in Norway.
How are you celebrating Thanksgiving this year, and what do
you think of “Black Friday?” Make sure you come back on Friday for some Minnie
Gibberish Fun, as she goes shopping and invites you to come along.
For the
month of December I will be sharing my Christmas in Norway as each day I open
my advent calendar. Hope you stop by!
8 comments:
I think Thanksgiving is a lovely tradition- setting aside a day to remember the past and be grateful. Sorry you'll be missing out on it this year.
Hi Siv .. I can understand your feelings - I was talking to someone here and mentioning that probably Thanksgiving somehow will creep in to the English way of life - I doubt we'll get the holiday though ..
Enjoy some peaceful reflection instead ... a good cuppa of something and some quiet downtime ...
Cheers Hilary
I love the family tradition here, but have grown to loathe the glut of advertising, sales, and general pushiness and consumerism. I spent 15 years as a store manager and then part-time clerk as a second job, and retail ruined the holidays for me. I hated forcing employees to work on holidays, and I hated being forced to work, because it is unnecessary. My sister is an RN and I have the greatest love, respect and gratitude for emergency personnel, volunteers, the military, the police, and all of those who have to give up their time with families to keep us safe and keep civilization running. But shopping? Sorry, no. I don't support that.
The commercialism bugs me, Siv. I dislike the crowds and lineups.
I don't celebrate the American Thanksgiving, since Canada's is one month ealier.
Traditions can sometimes be broken, until they get used to it.
Sorry you won't get your turkey dinner.
I hide on Black Fridays and do all my shopping online.
As with Christmas, the best Thanksgiving is the one you carry in your heart. Sorry about the turkey. None for me either. I volunteered to work all of Thanksgiving solo -- my co-workers now can enjoy the meal with their family. The only family I have is Victor and Alice -- and I carry them in my head! :-)
HAPPY THANKSGIVING from one kindred spirit to another!
Happy Thanksgiving!! No Black Friday for me, though I went last year and had a blast for some reason. I think it was the company more than anything, shopping with people I don't get to see all that often because of distance.
We'll wait till Christmas - and even then we won't have a turkey because most of our family is in England. Probably a table in a restaurant for us this year - marginally better than a meal for two alone.
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