Serve em Spam, I say, Serve em SPAM!
As an encouragement to those that are lovingly planning on spending a lot of time preparing a heart felt meal for their loved ones and yet, you find out that they in turn are planning on skipping out early to go black THURSDAY shopping… make em fast food!
Get a can of spam, crack open that lid, and warm er up. Heck, use the microwave that will only take a few minutes, right?
Then, pull out some of these bad boys. I think they’ll appreciate the options.
To really up the nutrition, grab a bag of frozen corn. To speed up the process of cooking them, just throw them into the mashed potatoes and nuke them together.
Potatoes and corn done at one time – now that’s working smarter!
If you haven’t heard, Hostess has brought back their line of cupcakes and twinkies! Yes!! Grab a couple boxes, and then send your family on their way with a lovely dessert as they head out to what really matters… deals and steals. MERICUH!
When Family Matters More Than a Deal
I hope that brought you a laugh 😉 In all seriousness, I would never do that. This post is to encourage family members to remember what Thanksgiving is supposed to be about. Thankfulness, and our blessings in family and love.
I found out recently that this year, black Thursday deals start at 6pm. If you’re planning on heading out shopping at that time, I want to really encourage you to think about your family first. Think about the hands that spent hours in preparing your meal and spend time with them. Slow down, drink a cup of coffee and enjoy your pie that your loved one worked hard to make for you.
Your family and sweet memories that can be created are much more important than a $10 toy that you can find on Amazon or online anyway’s.
If this post resonates with you, I’d appreciate it if you could share it on facebook or pin it. I think a lot of people need to realize that there are loved ones planning their Thanksgiving meals now and to maybe think twice about skipping out early for a sale.
No one in my little family does the Black Thursday or Friday thing…due in large part to pity for the employees who get no family time for the lusts of corporate greed! So sorry for your experience! Only in America can a holiday dedicated to being thankful for what we have be interrupted to go spend money we don’t have for crap we don’t need!
My mom wants to do the shopping thing, and she wanted me to come with her. Honestly, there are a few Christmas gifts we really would like to get for cheaper, so we are going. My one rule was that I refused to start shopping until Friday morning at 5am. She agreed. I told her there is no way I am shopping on Thanksgiving or staying up all night. After some thought she agreed. I was so glad. I didn’t want to have to tell my mother ‘no’ when she was so excited to spend two whole days together with me, but I also didn’t want to be thinking about shopping when enjoying a family feast at Thanksgiving (especially when my job is turkey, gravy, and stuffing!). I am so glad all worked out and I truly agree with your post. What a let down.
Alaina, yeah… I’ve done black Friday shopping. It’s the Thursday that totally bums me out 🙁
Hehe! I enjoy going out shopping with my mom on Friday. But I draw the line there. We will not shop on Thursday. I find the idea abhorrent. Thanks for the giggle.
I didn’t even know about black Thursday shopping. Yuck. I too don’t want to support a store being open on the holiday, even if there are great deals, but Friday is fair game. I had my family over last year and also spent months planning, days prepping and the like. I would have also been crushed if my family came to eat and leave. I’m glad you have found humor in your experience.
I am thankful for your lighthearted approach to this issue:) Thanksgiving is a wonderful day to enjoy family and friends. The effort that goes into the preparations are big but so are the “dividends”.
While I do not have family members that go crazy with black Friday I have had children that were required to work crazy hours. In fact, one of my children has to be at work by 6pm on Thanksgiving day and will not get home until almost 10am the following morning. She works two jobs (has to because of our economy and might get called in later that day as well.l
So while tongue in check anything we can do to help the em in their long days I know is appreciated:
oh my goodness, i totally would have cried too 🙁 i can completely relate to that wonderful excitement to host, meal plan, spend days prepping, and seeing everyone come together for the meal. i’m so thankful they rethought their priorities – shopping on the holidays makes me so sad. consumerism is blinding to what really matters
Girl – you are the best. 🙂 I keep laughing at your pin. LOVE IT!!!
Two years ago I went into labor, very unexpectedly, on Thanksgiving night, and blew everyone’s Black Friday shopping plans. Ha! I can’t believe stores are opening on Thursday evening! Come on!
I purchased a pastured turkey and would love to know your slow-roasting process.
I’m so sorry that your family treated you like you run the local truck stop or something! I’m glad you were able to talk to them and they will be more thoughtful this year. This was a GREAT post! I’m going to give those maple cranberry sweet potatoes a try this year! Yum!
MERICUH!!! Had to say it out loud…
Very fun. And very true. 🙂
Haha! Funny! And while I agree that it is rude to skip out on dinner, or soon after on Thursday, and it’s important to think about quality time with your family – I also think it’s really important to think about the people who have to work at the stores on Thanksgiving so that they can be open. They have to miss out on time with their family too. Really, shopping on Thanksgiving makes me feel sick – it’s just so the opposite of what we are supposed to be celebrating!!
Diana! When I read your title… I thought “uh-oh, what is she doing?!” But after reading through the post… I love how you used the fast food analogy for Black Thursday 😀
I am glad you talked to your family about the hurt. So important. Glad that they are willing to sacrifice deals so they can honor the family time that Thanksgiving is all about. Love you amiga!
Hilarious! I almost didn’t even click on your article in my feed to read it because the very concept of Black Thursday (or Friday, for that matter) so annoys me!
I’m not even a big fan of the Thanksgiving Holiday (our family had a major loss at this time years ago), but it seems disrespectful to me to spend the day shopping or at the movies.
Spam & Potatoes in a cup seems just about right to sum it up!
(sorry your family acted so shabbily last year – and didn’t even warn you of their plans : (
Love hearing this edgy side of you Diana! and I feel your pain and disappointment over what happened last year. I would cry too. You expressed yourself eloquently, and especially I appreciate the love, care and thought you poured out into your planning and preparing. I would be honored to be at your table. I would be riveted to my seat, my eyes big, my heart happy. I wouldn’t want to miss a morsel of your delicious food, especially that special turkey that you splurged on. I splurged on a special turkey once and I know what you mean.
I don’t shop on Thursday (nor on Friday but it’s not the same) and I think it’s abhorrent that the stores choose to be open, that people choose to shop and that employees are basically forced to be there.
Oh, and I would also help clean up. You would sit with your feet up resting from your labors. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours Diana, my food friend across the miles. The Maple Cranberry Sweet Potatoes recipe is now on my menu. Thank you for all you do and all you are.
Joan
I’m glad many of you found humor in my post. I would like share this comment to let everyone know how much my family means to me. They do so much for me and my family! My sister, especially. She’s gotten me through many rough times and continues to be like my second mother and best friend. I hope I didn’t shine any negativity onto them, because that was not my intention at all. We spend so much time together, besides just this one holiday, that I needed to let you know how incredibly blessed I am to have them in my life. We’re a very close family and I love them with everything that I am 😀
Dear Diana,
I understand. The last thing I think you want is to misrepresent your family. And you didn’t misrepresent them. I think you expressed a genuine feeling about a special day in which you had deeply invested. The ups and downs…that’s family too! Any of us who read your posts and have gotten to know you here know how much you value and esteem your family and they you. Think of all the sister farmer market creations and gardening,the foraging for morels, the homeschooling of not only your children but of your nephew-so you know they entrust you to the formal education part!, the love and support of your parents and in-laws in good times and bad. And all the things we don’t know. You guys are so tight! You show in your posts throughout the year show how much your family means to you, things spoken and unspoken. I knew it wasn’t something these kind folks did all the time. It was an unusual circumstance, a one-off.
May you have long happy moments around the table this Thanksgiving.
🙂
Joan
Thanks for this Joan! I’m so glad that’s come across in my writing through the years. Have a great day 😀
You had me going there for a minute, I was thinking, “what?” when I first saw the SPAM photo, and then I realized, of course, you were using the photo sarcastically to make a great point. I had no idea about shopping starting on Thursday? I guess I missed the memo. All I can say, is seriously? Have we not commercialized (and capitalized on) every holiday enough already that corporate America can’t give people a full day off of work to be with their families? (I’m thinking about those that work retail). I’m with you – bummed! But I think the point is that we keep our hearts and minds focused on being thankful to God and perhaps for some, going shopping together is a way to enjoy time with each other. But I do think it’s nice to set the day aside for simply sharing a meal and conversations about all the Lord has done, is doing and our hopes of what He will do. To spend a day in thanksgiving is really what my heart desires. Let the hunt for a good deal wait a day longer. 🙂