An Infringing Tradition

Thanksgiving has traditionally been about family, giving thanks, along with of course food, parades....and football. A new tradition has been creeping in over the past decade or so......Black Friday....which frequently has been starting on Thanksgiving day. Target, Wal-Mart, Big Lots are just a few stores that have been opening their doors earlier and earlier (ex: K-Mart will be open at 6am, JC Penny's at 5pm), quite an unwelcome tradition for many.

For a holiday supposedly about family and "togetherness", that's being taken away from a countless amount of employees. Employees being forced to cut their holiday short, for  the company's top dollar. So why not just take the day off? Because that's not a possibility for many, including K-Mart employees   . Those trying to actually get the holiday off are threatened with layoffs. Employees ultimately have "little control".

Some of those workers can't afford to be out of work. With families to provide for, they need the extra wages (as they're being paid at or near the minimum wage). Therefore, they can't risk their job by asking for the day off, knowing that in response they could lose their job. So with the companies knowing that most of their employees can't afford to be without work, they open up earlier and earlier, with increasing sales.

"Thankfully", some stores are restoring what Thanksgiving is supposed to be. T.J Maxx and Home Depot both announced that they'll be closed Thursday. According to the USA Today, those 2 aren't the only stores closing their doors on Thanksgiving. 

Here's a list of other stores that will not be open on Thanksgiving, according to news reports and company statements:

Ace Hardware

Barnes & Noble

Patagonia

Dillard's

Crate and Barrel

Neiman Marcus

GameStop

Nordstrom

Bed Bath & Beyond

Burlington Coat Factory

REI

So who will win the struggle here? Well, who knows at this point. As long as stores open, people will line up, camp out for that HDTV or that Laptop. So what ultimately matters more to executives? The Bottom Dollar? The Tents lined up for that special deal? Or their employees, and their loved ones, children, and their time spent with them?