By Aubrie Smith, copy editor.
For the past few years, I have missed sitting across from my family on Thanksgiving. This will mark the third year in a row that I sit across from a coworker while enjoying my turkey, premade and packaged to take to work.
However, I’m not mad for the typical reasons. I’m not here to say black friday sucks, and paid holidays for everyone. My point has a bit more controversial topic involved: religion.
No, Thanksgiving is not a religious holiday, so to speak, but Christmas is.
I work at a company that is open 365 days a year. This means each employee has to work a few holidays, and is forced to pick between the big two. Do I open gifts with my family, or sit around and watch the lions, stuffing my face with the best of foods?
I am one of the thousands of people forced to work on holidays, and I have never taken it personally. That being said, there is one thing that I could never wrap my head around: why are more businesses closed on Christmas than Thanksgiving?
This seems like a fight that happens every year, while more and more retail establishments open their doors on Thanksgiving to start their Black Friday an hour or two earlier. But no one ever bats an eyelash when all of the stores are closed on Christmas.
Not to mention, I can name several businesses that offer incentive to work on Christmas, but don’t bat an eyelash at forcing their employees to work on Thanksgiving.
Fast food places even close on Christmas.
My question is why? At the root of it, Christmas is a religious holiday. Thanksgiving is about the birth of this country, and giving thanks for what we have. I would even go as far as saying that it may be the only selfless holiday that we have.
No one shuts their doors for Veterans Day, or sends their employees home for Memorial Day. Unless you work at a bank or government institution, you only get two major holidays. One filled with love, thanks, and togetherness, and the other to give and receive.
The meaning of these holidays has shifted significantly. And, in no way, am I saying “down with Christmas.” I just think that more of a weight needs to be put on Thanksgiving, and allow people the same opportunities to celebrate a national holiday that they provide with a religious one.