A month ago I bought four new tires. Each tire had a twenty dollar rebate. I wonder if this is an effective marketing tool. It was a manufacturer's rebate; I could have asked if other tire brands had rebates, but as I would have bought only Goodyear tires I suppose I should consider the rebate a bonus.
In the past rebates have appeared as a check in my mailbox. Not this time. It was a Goodyear "Thank you Visa debit card." Not good at any ATM, usable only for goods or services. I dislike these "gift" cards so much I pass them along to someone else to use as quickly as possible.
However, it's November and there are two birthdays in my house in December, and each birthday girl has specific tastes in clothing, so today was the day to bite the card, so to speak, and put it back into circulation in the world of retail.
I took Emily and went to the mall, my first such excursion since Laura had her ears pierced. The goal today was to have Emily try on jeans until we nailed the brand and size that fit her.
Thirteen pair later that turned out to be DKNY. "Worse than shopping for a bra," she moaned on the way home. She knows what will be in her birthday pile. Laura gets a cute little dress.We think Miss Girly Girl will pair it with a blue jean jacket and leggins. She's a little Boho right now.
I had the epiphany five minutes after stepping into Macy's. Giant red baubles hung from the ceiling. Trees, decorations everywhere. Rudolph in the air. We stopped a sales associate for jeans help, and as we walked about loading Emily's arms with jeans the woman said "Yesterday Thriller, today Rudolph."
And it came to me why we go from Halloween to Christmas. It's about retail, and Thanksgiving is a grocery holiday.
How right you are. And it is the retailers who have been pushing Halloween hardest at us. And Rudolph and his extended family have been in our stores for weeks now.
ReplyDeleteIt is January which is our biggest birthday month. Starts in late November and gathers momentum until the birthday bonanza starts just after Christmas.
I didn't know that retail EVER took a holiday (old cynic that I am).
ReplyDeleteJane x
Me too jane x
DeleteThe holidays are all about spending money.....and if they can get you to spend more than you have so much the better. I've gotten stubborn. I think it's time we all put our collective foot down and stopped playing their game.
ReplyDeleteyou are right thanksgiving is a grocery holiday, never thought of it that way
ReplyDeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteWhichever lens is used, SPEND is the focus... yeechhh. YAM xx
I was telling hubby that I met the malls were starting to decorate for Christmas already and you confirmed that. I have to agree in your concept about why Thanksgiving is basically ignored in retail. My company gives out those kind of debit cards you mentioned here for "spot awards" for those that do good work. You are right, they are a pain to deal with, but I saved a few of mine and was able to take hubby out for dinner for his birthday with them.
ReplyDeletebetty
As it happens I'm shopping for 4 tires also. Quite expensive here. In fact very expensive. Probably going to Bellingham again over the border to the good ole USA to buy. Sent my brother down there yesterday only to find out they don't take Visa, only American Express. grrr. I gave up my Amex long ago due to the $55 annual fee. Now going back with debit card. Anyway, all this to say, I know what a big job it is. Just like shopping for bras and jeans as the girls are now finding out.
ReplyDeleteYou are on the money!
ReplyDelete"Yesterday Thriller, today Rudolph" ... love it!! Well, I don't love all the commercialism, but the description is right on, and even better coming from a salesperson.
ReplyDeleteYes, the Christmas decorations are going up in these parts as well. And then it will be out with the Father Christmas's and in with the Easter Bunnies.
ReplyDeleteThat's a gorgeous red bauble. Every year the stretch between Halloween and Christmas seems to get shorter and shorter. Christmas decorations are up here too, in the shops.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have Thanksgiving over here in the UK, but Hallowe'en seems to be gathering momentum in the stores each year! (not a festival I like, I must say - here it has a different 'attitude' to that which you celebrate over there, or else it's trying to imitate the 'American' way of celebrating!) Still, all the associated paraphernalia was 'spirited' away from the stores by yesterday morning. (1st November)
ReplyDeleteNow we have about a fortnight of frantic firework retail ready for Guy Fawkes' Night (5th November, but the parties extend beyond the weekends either side of that date!).
The shopping aisles have been filling with Christmas cards and novelties since before September but now they're ramping up!!!! The stores have printed their Christmas opening times - they're almost falling over themselves to apologise for being closed on 25th December.....! Then the UK resorts to siege-mentality with people loading their trolleys as if Armageddon was approaching - the stores are closed for ONE DAY, people!! If you need milk and bread there are dozens of convenience shops, usually owned and run by those who don't celebrate Christmas if you really can't manage for one day!!
Sorry for ranting - we all have so many 'things' but what we can't buy is time with loved ones and memories! Those are truly priceless!
Brilliant deduction on Thanksgiving versus Christmas. I'm beginning to see why some people just take for different locales in December. Some years I feel as though I'm done with Christmas before it even arrives!
ReplyDeletethat's right, it's all about the money baby. I was reading someone's blog (can't remember who) but she overheard a sales person moaning that most their sales had been for halloween and hardly anything for christmas and wasn't that sad. this was before Halloween. sheesh!
ReplyDeleteLovely decorations. I look forward to Christmas, but not Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is just another meal.
ReplyDeleteI started seeing Christmas decorations right after Labor Day, hate it. I like Thanksgiving, but this is the first one in many years our daughter won't be with us, she moved to Japan.
ReplyDeleteDear Joanne, that's what I said about Halloween in Germany: sheer invention for the happy merchants - and one I could follow from "absolutely unknown here' to the hype nowadays. Ah, they drum now for Christmas - gingerbread and marzipan already in the aisles....
ReplyDeleteWilly Dunne Wooters and I were talking about holidays last night. I expressed the opinion that a holiday should be a day to stay at home and relax, eat a nice meal (doesn't have to be a turkey--could be a burger on the grill), maybe watch a movie, but more importantly, not feel forced to do something you don't want to do. I'm glad WDW agrees with me.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
I love that big red ball, I like to shop alone.
ReplyDeleteWith other people I get talked into buying the wrong things I most likely do the same to them.
Merle........
Holidays for me are simple and plain, I don't partake in the commercialism of it all. Interesting post -- barbara
ReplyDeleteYou are right-you know fir me they can't start early enough-I need to start in January!
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you like those gift cards? I adore gift cards of any kind for any reason. I have heard it said that they are "thoughtless gifts', but honestly? I would much prefer a gift card to a scented candle any day....
ReplyDeleteI dislike Thanksgiving hugely, and I'm also no fan of Christmas. Thus, I'm already in an anticipatory foul mood over here. Nothing a gift card couldn't offset, of course.
ReplyDelete