Quote:
Originally Posted by Dopo
I do, just because I got nothing else to do
but there's a serious problem in American culture with making everything "for profit"
"Thanksgiving" is not about thanking God, it's about watching 2-3 football games in a row
Christmas is not about Jesus, is about shopping
etc, etc, etc.
And believe me.... if you stand up for you religious values, people think you are freak and anti-American.
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That is exactly what I am getting at. To me it's about stopping for a minute & actually socializing with the people who matter, and NOT in a Facebook sort of way, and not with a loud TV show going on in the background. And perhaps most of all, by demanding a game of ANY sport you cause the people associated with it to have to work on that day, and not just the players, but also the announcers, the concession stand workers, the camera guys, etc. You MAKE them be there instead of with their family, effectively, and no I don't think the whole "they knew what they were getting into when they signed up for the job" makes it a moot point.
It causes the day to become too commercial & to lose its genuine meaning. Thanksgiving is about giving THANKS & being with family, not about watching a game of whatever sport, and Christmas is about Jesus' birthday & being with family, not beating each other up on Black Friday over a good price on LCD TVs and driving yourself crazy with all the shopping for that perfect gift.
That's not to say that you HAVE to spend EVERY MINUTE on a given day doing nothing but listening to Uncle Jed tell the same story over & over about the time his dog and his tractor winning 1st prize in a contest or whatever, or refraining from ALL the activities you like to do. Heck, many times, I've complained about how holidays make everything stop & I would just rather be able to have a normal day on those days, but then that has to do with there being so many so close together. Regardless, if you are going to get together under a Thanksgiving pretense, then by George make it a Thanksgiving thing, not have it look like any other day.
I know someone said "location, location," regarding the forum I posted in, but again, I am a basketball person but totally understand the sentiment I was mentioning--"I feel sorry for you if you've got nothing better to do on Christmas Day than watch a basketball game," said by an NBA head coach of all people. You KNOW he eats & breathes basketball. I'm a basketball fan, but I still get the point and in fact agree with it.
I'm sorry, but also the main thing isn't that people like to watch such so much, but more that they feel like they HAVE to and it's the main thing on their mind, and the tradition aside, it is NOT what Thanksgiving is about. In like manner, I appreciate the 3-day weekend Memorial Day gives you, but that isn't what Memorial Day is about either. Then again, no one is suggesting that it's blasphemy to go to the lake on the Memorial Day weekend vs staying home & acting somber etc, so long as you do remember what the day is about, so maybe I'm being legalistic?
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