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Monday, March 18, 2024
March 18, 2024

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In Our View: Thanks for the Friendship

We're grateful for a day to spend with those we love, out shopping or at home

The Columbian
Published:

The tradition of Thanksgiving in this land goes back nearly 400 years, and on this, the 152nd official national observance of the holiday, people in Clark County have many things for which to be thankful.

There is, for example, the natural beauty that marks this part of the country. And a wonderfully temperate climate. And a statewide economy that long has been a leader in innovation and creativity. While Thanksgiving is both a communal and a familial celebration of the gifts that we share, one of the most important of those attributes was enumerated in a recent study. A survey conducted by the Community Foundation of Southwest Washington indicated that the people here appreciate the friendliness and neighborliness of the area above all.

Answering the question “What do you value most about living in your community?” 29 percent of respondents chose the sense of community. Public safety came in second with 14 percent of respondents, while beauty/scenery and “small community” were next with 12 percent apiece. None of those traits, however, could compete with the area’s inherent friendliness. “No matter where I go in Vancouver, I always notice that people tend to make eye contact,” Kelly Love, CEO of the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, told Columbian reporter Scott Hewitt. “They tend to smile.” Anybody who has traveled to particularly surly portions of the country know that this isn’t the case elsewhere. Oh, residents in other regions might appreciate the friendliness of their areas, but we’re guessing that’s only because they never have lived in Southwest Washington.

That will be one of the many reasons for local residents to give thanks today as they spend time with family or friends, watch football, eat, and — sigh! — go shopping. Yes, much to the chagrin of many of us, shopping has seized a place among our cherished Thanksgiving traditions. While Black Friday for many years has marked the unofficial opening of the Christmas shopping season, an increasing number of stores are opening their doors on the holiday.

We join the chorus of those who criticize businesses for compelling employees to work on Thanksgiving, and yet we offer a gentle reminder — stores would not be open if shoppers did not show up. “The pressure is coming from the consumer,” Jesse Tron, director of communications and media relations at the International Council of Shopping Centers, told CNBC. “The retailers would not be open if the appetite from the consumer wasn’t there.”

Of course, much of that appetite is a self-fulfilling prophecy. For weeks, major national retailers have been advertising their Black Friday (or Thanksgiving Day) specials, without bothering to mention whether there is anything truly special about them. As Matthew Ong, senior retail analyst for NerdWallet, said: “Retailers keep offering the same kind of deals on Black Friday that consumers could have gotten for the same price last year.” In many cases, he notes, the prices are no lower than they were one or two weeks ago. The key for retailers is simply to get people in the door; shoppers are going to spend money between now and December 25, the only question is where.

Yet, we digress, getting drawn into the trap set by retailers desiring to turn Thanksgiving into a day of shopping. Instead, it should be a day for reflection; for joy; for sharing. Instead, it should be a day to spend with family and friends. If shopping is what brings you joy with family and friends, then by all means participate. We’re guessing you’ll meet plenty of friendly, neighborly people.

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