Ed Board has always been under the impression that Thanksgiving is a substantial and celebratory holiday. So why is it that Christmas decorations go up the day after Halloween? If Thanksgiving gets a parade down 5th Avenue in NYC, isn’t it important enough to receive a couple weeks’ attention with decor and possibly a clever jingle? Ed Board understands that this is America, and giving gifts, with the intention of receiving many in return, is much more gratifying than giving thanks and spending time with family. However, the lack of materialism associated with Thanksgiving has given consumer America an excuse to celebrate Christmas an entire month too early.
Think of what makes Thanksgiving so special: spending time with family, eating delicious food, playing or watching football. It is a relaxing holiday that requires minimal preparation. While cooking is a definite necessity, the hassle of purchasing gifts is never expected. Thanksgiving is acknowledged as a holiday beyond the walls of Ed Board’s cubicle; businesses and academic institutions close so that families can take some time off to celebrate. It is a meaningful holiday with actual substance; therefore, it should be allotted some of the anticipation of Christmas.
Ed Board thinks that Thanksgiving, while people still remember its meaning, should be celebrated in order to reconcile in advance for the consumer-driven nature of Christmas. After all, the biggest shopping day of the year is the day after Thanksgiving. It’s as if consumers cannot wait for Thursday to end so that they can hit the malls by 8 a.m. Friday to get the best deals on Christmas gifts and decorations. What they don’t seem to realize is that Christmas music has been played over the radio for the past month and that telephone poles were wrapped in garlands and red bows long before Texas temperatures dropped below 80 degrees. By the time Christmas rolls around, it can’t possibly live up to all the hype preceding it.
Perhaps Christmas shouldn’t be so stingy and should donate some attention to poor neglected Thanksgiving. No need to stress out too much over decorations; leftover pumpkins, preferably not carved, should suffice. Perhaps one or two memorable songs could be sung, and Ed Board is sure that Hallmark won’t complain about marketing Thanksgiving to encourage a more sentimental America.
