Friday, November 18, 2011

Black Thursday

The talk on Twitter and Facebook
Is usually about writing or Lolcats or nook.
But this week the friends are ready to fight--
Seems some stores are opening before midnight!
In fact (though it's really not right)
They're open for business, they say
Not Friday, but Thursday--Thanksgiving Day!

The chorus of protest is a swelling song
We must really do something--
This is just wrong!

My solution is simple. Why wait in line?
Why not wander in at seven or eight or nine?
Black Friday is a sad symptom of greed.
How many presents do we really need?

In the past we sang carols and put up the tree.
There were sparkling bright lights
and a Nativity.
The kids helped make presents for
Mommy and Dad.
Oh, they were so careful to never be bad.

Each day pretty Christmas cards arrived
in the mail 
with greetings and pictures and that year's tale.
There were whispers and guessing 
what was under the tree.
Sometimes there was shaking--"Oh, can I see?"

Heh. Do you remember how it was back then?
We always got one toy and candy in a tin
And new underwear and warm socks 
in a gaily wrapped box.

The thing about Christmas and
Thanksgiving Day
It's a time for family to find a way to say 
"I'm here to spend time together because I love you.
Nope, it's not money. It's not presents--
it's you."

© Anny Cook 2011


7 comments:

  1. You won't find me out on Black Thursday or Friday, probably not that weekend. I can't deal with all the crowds and nasty people fighting over stuff that will still be on sale the following week.

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  2. Sad sign of the times when greed beats need

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  3. About a month ago Easter buns appeared in some supermarkets. There was an outcry - it's like, six months until Easter. "Customers are demanding them" the stores said. Uh-huh. Yep. Riiiiight!
    Helen

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  4. I still say if no one buys...they won't sell. It's kind of like the trash on TV. If people didn't watch it, they'd cancel it right quick.

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  5. I worked at Kmart during college and we were one of the first stores to be open ON THANKSGIVING, from 7AM til 10pm or something like that. I used to volunteer to work because I got holiday pay and because it was so quiet and also so I could avoid working on Friday, which was the truly awful day.

    In short, you won't catch me shopping in this upcoming crunch... I like online much better!

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