It's just over a week away from Thanksgiving, one of my favorite holidays. Why you ask? Because it’s a holiday involving loads of food among other things. Another year comes around with national ads telling you about the great savings you can get on Thanksgiving. So far in Maine Black Friday door buster deals start on Friday morning as early as 12:01 am, but nothing major is open on Thanksgiving. LL Bean is an exception and obviously many pharmacies, convenience stores, theaters etc do business, but the biggies are closed.

Normally I would have no problem with stores being open on Thanksgiving. But because of the door busters, the craziness and the sport that is Black Friday shopping would pretty much minimize Thanksgiving to a hurried dinner if even a celebration at all.

Yes, I know some have to work on Thanksgiving and it’s impractical to close everything but to have the larger retailers closed on Thanksgiving gives our stressed out lives a break even if it is for just a day.

I like the laziness that is Thanksgiving, the smell of the turkey cooking while watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, visiting with family, the eating, the football and of course the naps. Don’t get me wrong, I think Black Friday is an amazing uniquely American experience which is enjoyable if you have a plan and rest beforehand.

After dinner while the dishwasher runs a few times, everyone at the table looks over the flyers and discusses their plan of attack for the next morning. For example, “we’ll start at Walmart at 5 am, then go to Kohl’s for 6 am and hit Toys R Us at 7.” I normally stay home and take care of the kids but on occasion will go as well if someone can watch the the little ones.

I watch the video of the door crashing shoppers in line waiting in the cold for the stores to open on the morning reports before the kids wake up while enjoying my hot coffee inside in the warmth.

Remember no matter what the ads say on TV, major retailers in Maine will not be open on Thanksgiving. Enjoy the holiday.

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