Question, what is the next major US holiday after Halloween? No, it's actually not Christmas, it's the commercial also known as Thanksgiving.
In an ideal world, one where all holidays were created equal, November 1st would signal the beginning of Thanksgiving season. Walmart would have turkey day themed decorations hanging from the ceiling and corporations would pepper us with commercials advertising half off turkeys and ready made cranberry sauce. Sadly, for the day of giving thanks, this is not the case.
Thanksgiving has taken the backseat, nay it rides in the trunk, of the holiday-mobile. As soon as Halloween comes to an end it is officially Christmas season, red and green streamers become commonplace, Christmas trees decorate hotel lobbies, and carols are pumped through the speakers of department stores; Thanksgiving doesn't stand a chance.
The truth is Christmas is just more marketable.
Thanksgiving happens to be sandwiched in between two of the more marketable holidays. For Halloween costumes are being bought, candy is being purchased in bulk and elaborate yard decorations are commonplace. The monetary value of Christmas doesn't even need explaining. It is the most marketable holiday we observe. Based on data gathered from Custora, a predicitive analytics group, there were $40 billion in transaction revenue generated last year on Black Friday...just through online shopping. A truly pocket-shriveling amount. You could sell every turkey in the world and not even arrive in the same ballpark as $40 million. Thanksgiving just doesn’t have the ability to generate as many sales; the main purchases for Turkey Day are…turkeys, and in our capitalistic society money drives all; that is why Thanksgiving is overshadowed.
In recent years Black Friday shopping has commenced earlier than ever
“Stores open earlier and earlier every year for Black Friday shopping,” says Upstate junior Raegan Fulmer, “This year they open early Thursday evening and that kind of takes away from Thanksgiving as a holiday. Some people have to cut their dinners short just so they can go to work.”
Despite being inundated with Christmas cheer before we even sit down for our Thanksgiving feast, make sure you don’t forget about the holiday of gratitude. Besides, it doesn’t get much better than sitting around a table eating and sharing food with your family.
