‘Tis the season for everyone to freak the heck out that, predictably, Halloween (which started in August mind you) has slid right into Christmas.
On Nov. 1 like clockwork, social and traditional media are full of folks bitterly lamenting how wrong it is that Thanksgiving is completely devoid of retail adoration and exploitation.
Apparently, the fact that Thanksgiving is overlooked in the rush to push the mass marketing and lets Black Friday ALL THE DAYS feel of the holiday season is a real issue for some.
Me, I say “give thanks.”
Thanksgiving may be the last major holiday to avoid the iron grip of retail driven advertising frenzy. There has been a small push to try to create Thanksgiving movies, but even they tend to be just briefly about Thanksgiving and much more about the big holiday following.
It’s kind of like Thanksgiving is the dress rehearsal for Christmas. Granted the pumpkin spice cartel has held us in a grip since early September with pumpkin spice in all things from coffee to cat food, but that’s just a gateway drug.
Thus far we have stuck only to recreational autumnal pleasures. We have managed to avoid the widespread adoption of unique to Thanksgiving decorating, gifts and spending.
Just continue to say no to the “Thanksgiving Tree” and “Gratitude Gifts.”
Food
Grocery stores have a mini push but no one seems to mind the Halloween to Christmas trajectory. It’s well hidden among the eggnog, Christmas Oreos, snowflake shaped crackers, and holiday packaged snacks and sodas.
Sure there is a slight move by the crescent roll people to gain a foothold on us with cute commercials showing families gathered around enjoying the goodness popped out by a gigging doughboy, but there is a suspiciously Christmas feel to those.
Not to be outdone, the green bean casserole lobby never fails to capitalize on a chance to slide that unique culinary offering into yet another gathering.
Let’s be frank
We all know they don’t play favorites. They will shill those French fried onions at Christmas and Easter too. Cranberry jelled in cans is suddenly an actual product we buy.
Finally, marshmallows enjoy a brief resurgence not seen since summer wiener roasts when they show up on top of sweet potatoes and casserole form.
Quiet
Outside of the grocery store, however, things are blessedly quiet on the Thanksgiving commercialization front. I don’t think there is a single Charlie Brown special about Thanksgiving is there?
If one exists it is definitely not getting the play of It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown and A Charlie Brown Christmas. Bing Crosby didn’t croon White Thanksgiving.
Certainly, Pinterest will abound with cheese balls shaped like turkeys, pumpkin puree in endless foods, and table settings so elaborate they rival some weddings.
Every preschooler in America will be pressed into crafting handprint turkeys in near sweatshop numbers. Preschool classes will request cornbread and applesauce for short but oh-so-sweet Thanksgiving “feasts.”
Still, outside the supermarket and Food Network most people aren’t feeling undue holiday pressure.
Instead of complaining that retail barrels seamlessly from Halloween to Christmas, I say we count our blessings that big crafting and mega stores have not yet gained a foothold on our one true blessedly uncommercial major holiday.
Let’s just smile and sing along to the Christmas carols (in November) and allow our one relaxing, stealth holiday to stay OUT of the commercial limelight, but remain warm in our hearts.
