Food, Family and Sales.
I have always heard so many things about this week. Many of them were true, and this is exactly how Thanksgiving’s week could be summarized in a few words. That is basically America’s daily schedule for three days.
In Europe, when we think about Thanksgiving, the only thing we see is the turkey, and this is how Americans imagine it.
Thanksgiving is the day when you get to see those relatives who live on the opposite side of the planet. It is the day when even grandpa gets to play monopoly. Thanksgiving is waiting for the big sales at the mall.
During this season, even vegetarians give up on their diet and start preparing their original menu: Roasted Turkey, Green Bean Casserole, Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce and Pecan Pie. However, there is something coming after Thanksgiving, even more awaited, crazy and American than Turkey: Black Friday. I could never imagine what I was experiencing when – the day after Thanksgiving – I passed through that mall’s doors. “If you don’t try it you won’t believe us”. This is what many friends of mine told me the day before the break, and this is how I would best describe it. It was 7am – too soon for me but too late for the stores – and all I could see was madness. Overweight shopping carts everywhere, people screaming, others running inside shops, ladies yelling at each other trying to get the last available size of shoes or t-shirts. Everybody was focused on those 80% off everything. Nonetheless, the real meaning of Thanksgiving is neither eating nor shopping. What really matters during this holiday is spending some time with the people you love the most, because, in order to appreciate what we have, we need to stop for a second and start thinking about what we are truly grateful for.
Edoardo Cattaneo (4F) correspondent from Seattle, WA, USA