Because I am older (1/2 Century) and grouchier now, more has been made around my house this year, of my strict allegiance to THANKSGIVING .
As I listened to Johnny Mathis sing "... they know that Sa-a-a-a-a-anta's on his way! ..." overhead in Walmart about TWO WEEKS ago, I lamented the great hunger that is reflected by our society's desperate reach for some magic -any magic - to anesthetize the emptiness of a season that has lost its way. This hunger is -in my opinion- the symptomatic result of a deliberate effort to remove the Central Focus of these holidays: a recognition of God's providence and the gift of Jesus Christ; and to replace the ensuing void with something else.
Thanksgiving - the holiday that best seems to join the elements of God and Country- has been the victim of this mad rush into Christmas.
Now as "Black Friday" has bled into "Black Thursday and Friday", Thanksgiving Day is - at best - void of its original nature; at worst - totally ignored.
Retailers bear a lot of the blame; but the retail industry is amoral. Despite the willing ignorance of the "Occupy - whatever" people, most retailers are just trying to stay alive, not stockpile extreme profits.
In this Great Recession, for many of them - their existence is down to the wire and unfortunately they have chosen to cast off the restraints of tradition and -despite the strain on employees - open at ridiculous times on Thanksgiving Day.
Today as I returned to the culture after my one day sabbatical, I was saddened by the headlines with which I was greeted. Here are a couple of the stories that exemplify the chaos that ensues when a people lose sight of the "Pearl of Great Price" and pursue cheap bobbles instead:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501363_162-57331142/woman-pepper-sprays-other-black-friday-shoppers/
http://www.twitvid.com/QM7T7
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