A Mess Free Life may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page.
Refuse To Shop on Thanksgiving Day
One of, if not my all time favorite holiday is Thanksgiving.
I love the whole notion of the holiday, how it centers around the feelings of gratitude and a grateful heart.
It was once, the rare opportunity in our overly commercialized world where you could be guaranteed a day off to spend with friends and family. Unfortunately, that’s no longer the case as countless stores will open their doors on Thanksgiving, along with the rest, who will open their doors at some ungodly hour on Black Friday.
Now instead of eating too much turkey, watching hours upon hours of football, playing a few games, eating leftovers, having some laughs and just being together as a family, you’ve got to make sure all the fun is done so you can head out on Thanksgiving night to buy crap you probably don’t even need.
It’s the retail establishment and the media that has perpetuated and forced down our throats this culture called Black Friday.
I used to go out on Black Friday when my daughter was younger. I’ve told my Cabbage Patch story here before, and I’m ashamed of my past behavior.
Read: The Gift Giving Guide: Top Holiday Toys Under $50 {All Ages}
Read: How To Use CamelCamelCamel To Get The Best Deal on Amazon
Fast forward to today and you’ll never catch me in line waiting for the doors to open so I can get trampled by some consumer who’s bigger and stronger, and wants what’s inside way more than me. I go shopping on Black Friday with my best friend (we’ve been doing this for years), but rarely do I buy anything for myself or my family because frankly we don’t need anything. I go with her and keep her company, and we go for lunch and sing in the aisles and make some new friends along the way. For me, it’s just an opportunity to spend time together.
This year I’ll be scoping on Black Friday, hoping to shed some light on the frenzy.
I’m all for getting deals on the things you need. But to do it on Thanksgiving Day, at the expense of the workers who have to leave their families and put up with the hoards of consumers who should just stay home and wait until Black Friday, is ridiculous.
Thanks to labor411.org, there are two lists of importance to Black Friday shoppers — the 20 chain stores that are forcing workers in during the Thanksgiving holiday, and the 24 chain stores that are looking out for their workers and closing their doors on Thanksgiving.
So if you must take part in shopping on the day after Thanksgiving, make sure you think twice about which stores get your money.
And, don’t forget about Small Business Saturday, and help your local small business and help your local economies flourish.
Read: The 10 Best Gifts For Men Under $50
24 chain stores not opening on Thanksgiving:
1. Crate and Barrel
2. TJ Maxx
3. Barnes and Noble
4. Bed Bath and Beyond
5. BJ’s
6. Costco
7. Dillards
8. Home Depot
9. Home Goods
10. Jo Ann Fabrics
11. Lowe’s
12. Marshall’s
13. Nordstrom
14. P.C. Rochard and Son
15. Pier One
16. Publix
17. Radio Shack
18. Sur La Table
19. Sam’s Club
20. DSW shoes
21. Gamestop
22. Staples
23. Neiman Marcus
24. Burlington Coat Factory
20 Chain stores staying open on Thanksgiving:
1. Best Buy
2. Kohl’s
3. Walmart
4. Target
5. K-mart
6. JCPenney
7. Toys R Us
8. Sears
9. Macy’s
10. Michael’s
11. Big Lots
12. Shoe Carnival
13. Old Navy
14. Family Dollar
15. Bass Pro Shops
16. Dollar General
17. Victoria’s Secret
18. Office Depot
19. Office Max
20. Dick’s Sporting Goods
