For most people, Thanksgiving is all about the three F’s: food, family and football. The image of a family gathered around the table with a large turkey in the middle is one of America’s most iconic scenes.
Unfortunately, in recent years, the time-honored tradition of Thanksgiving as a time of family reunions has been displaced by the unbridled consumerism and materialism of Black Friday.
Black Friday represents the worst of America’s unrestrained greed without any thought given to the economic or social consequences. Furthermore, it embodies the exact opposite of Thanksgiving’s purpose as a time to give thanks for what we already have rather than demanding more.
To make matters worse, many of the nation’s largest businesses — Wal-Mart, Kmart, Target, Best Buy, CVS and Radioshack to name a few — are beginning their Black Friday sales Thursday night, when shoppers and employees would likely otherwise be home with their families. There’s no question that the materialism represented by Black Friday — and now Black Thursday — has gotten completely out of hand.
This Thanksgiving, rather than rushing out to your nearest retail outlet, take some time to think about what you have to be grateful for and about those who do not have as much. As UF students, we have an opportunity to receive a world-class education on one of the country’s most beautiful campuses — something many people, even many Americans, can only dream of.
This holiday weekend, we encourage Gators to avoid shopping at any massive retail chains that are forcing their employees to work on Thanksgiving Day.
If you have the financial means, consider donating some of the money you might spend on a Black Friday deal to an organization that works to provide food for those who would otherwise go hungry. Bread of the Mighty Food Bank and the Alachua Coalition for the Homeless and Hungry are two excellent nonprofits that help provide basic necessities for Gainesville’s most needy residents.
If you are unable to donate money to a worthy cause, spend some time on Thanksgiving or during the holiday weekend volunteering with a charitable organization in your community. Organizations like Meals on Wheels provide Thanksgiving meals to poor and elderly individuals. Serving dinner at local homeless shelters is another excellent way to help the less fortunate.
DoSomething.org has other suggestions for ways to donate your time and money to worthy causes.
Engaging in volunteer work or donating to charity may well not be as immediately gratifying as getting a great discount on the newest iPad. However, taking the time to give to those in need makes all the difference in the world for those being helped.
We hope everyone in the UF community has a relaxing, enjoyable and meaningful Thanksgiving. Fill up on turkey and stuffing, spend time with your family and show your thanks for all you have by giving to those who have less.
[A version of this story ran on page 6 on 11/25/2014]
