Yesterday, Thanksgiving Day, began with the usual rituals. Start the coffee, go down the steps and across the road to the mailbox, pull the Record-Eagle from its green tube. Call the dogs, trundle back up the steps, feed the livestock, settle in with NPR and the paper.
Oh goody. A nice fat paper. Lots to read. Wait, wait . . .
A skinny holiday paper with a fat packet of ads. Many, many ads. I give passing thought to writing a post about them, but end up dumping them all in the recycling bag. I do not do Competitive Shopping. It gives me heartburn.
I cannot pinpoint the exact moment when the loathsome “Black Friday” marketing concept erupted in our culture, but according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, neuroscience researcher Bonnie Taylor-Blake can. According to her, the phrase roared into the shouting heads territory in 2004-2005. This is not a Holiday Tradition.
Doesn’t matter. There are lots of things that are holiday traditions that I can do without, too. Anyway, I have a holiday tradition of my own. It is called Blue and Green Friday, and it involves furry companions, peaceful pursuits, and excellent treats. Here is how we celebrated today.
We went to Barnes Park with a cup of coffee and some treats. We sat in the car in the sun and ate our treats and drank our coffee–OK, that was just me–and then went for a nice walk on the beach. On our way back we saw Daugherty Johnson down there with a son-in-law and assorted grandchildren, looking at the Big Lake and searching for Petoskey stones. Or whatever else looked interesting.
Then we went off to Lakeview cemetery to pay our respects to some of the Civil War veterans and take a picture of a newer gravestone for someone who had requested same. David Hill was a veteran, too–a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army–but of more recent vintage. His family misses him.
We stopped at Chris and Sonny’s for some cheese, and at Friske’s for some cider, and at King’s for some apples. No waiting at any of those places. Nice people to talk to. And now I am off to supper with friends. I hope you found whatever you were looking for today. I am pretty sure I have everything I need.
Torch Lake Views 
Sybil
November 25, 2011
Well said Gerry ! That damn “black Friday” is creeping up here (into Canada).
Happy no reports of Canadians macing each other in their scramble to get a cheap X-box, but I’m sure it’s a’comin’ !
Knowing you have all you need, is a gift in itself.
Happy Blue and Green Friday to you.
Gerry
November 25, 2011
It’s just human nature to go galloping off after shiny new things, but it doesn’t make sense to me to stand out all night in the cold to shop. It’s not as if it’s festive, with excellent treats and strolling musicians.
Who am I to judge. I have been reliably informed by several friends that most people would not consider wandering around a cemetery a better way to spend the day than Power Shopping. No accounting for tastes.
Martha
November 25, 2011
My co-worker went shopping at midnight. I said they call it Black Friday because of the black circles under her eyes. I don’t see that event going away any time soon. Best we black it out on our own.
Gerry
November 25, 2011
I don’t mind if other people want to plunge into the maelstrom, but I am scared of malls the whole weekend after Thanksgiving. I’d just as soon go walking in the woods wearing a hat with antlers on it and a white handkerchief flapping from my back pocket.
Margie Guyot
November 26, 2011
Luxurious — to stay home and putz in the yard (or paint a picture!) on Black Friday. How much more STUFF do we need? Would the world end if we sat on the porch, sipping coffee, petting the cats (or dogs)?
Gerry
November 26, 2011
I am pretty sure that one day the world will end no matter what I do, so I’ve stopped feeling responsible for keeping it spinning on its axis. I definitely do not need more STUFF. I need less STUFF. Except that I have broken a couple of stuffly items that I should quite possibly replace. But I can live without them indefinitely if I must plunge into the maelstrom in order to fish them out.
P.j. grath
November 26, 2011
The sky was blue, my tree is fresh and green, and I finished decorating it on Friday. No big crowds in Northport, but the town was not deserted, either. It was a very pleasant day in the bookstore, with three little “Be right back” breaks to get Sarah out in the sunshine.
Do you think we can build on this theme? Blue and Green Friday? Start a movement or something? I like it!
Gerry
November 26, 2011
I think small towns everywhere should make Blue and Green Friday. Also Jammy Brunch Saturday and Storytelling Sunday. Imagine a whole weekend devoted to exchanging pleasantries with the neighbors, playing with the kids, pulling together potlucks of delicious leftovers . . .
Purely by accident, I am having exactly that kind of four-day weekend. It is restorative.
Joss
November 26, 2011
Your Thanksgiving celebrations sound lovely. It is so easy to give ourselves little treats, and yet we hardly ever do that. At Christmas it’s a treat for me to have all parts of the house clean at the same time; to wear going out clothes indoors; and to put the heating on in the morning. In the new year we always try to make Sunday into a ‘little Christmas’ to continue the feeling of well-being, but it never happens. (There is no religious element to any of this, but maybe that’s what we need.)
Gerry
November 26, 2011
It’s interesting that you say a religious element is missing. As I read your list of treats I could swear I heard a hymn of gratitude humming along in the background. I felt wrapped in contentment before a cozy fire–a lovely little present of the very best kind. Thank you.
Karma
November 26, 2011
Nicely said, Gerry. I spent the day in my flannel pants and slippers, not even thinking about shopping. I was remiss, however, in taking my duo out for a jaunt. We really should have – perhaps today instead!
Gerry
November 26, 2011
‘Morning, Karma! I read your post in my feed-reader and marked it down as one to go see when I get my broadband. I already have a mental image of you in your flannel pants and slippers, disputing with the camera over where, exactly, the focus should be. I am looking forward to seeing for myself exactly how that turned out!
One of the nice things about dogs is that whenever you get around to taking them for a good walk they are glad to go and joyful at the discoveries of the day. They do not waste time being resentful that yesterday’s walk was short on amenities. They do not spoil today’s pleasures with yesterday’s grievances. I should pay more attention to dogly virtues.
uphilldowndale
November 26, 2011
In the UK the Friday before Christmas is sometimes known as ‘black eye Friday’ the day most of the factories and offices finish for the break and the staff go down to the pub for a drink or two too celebrate, occasionally things can get a little over excited .
I’m all for blue and green Friday,a much better remedy
Gerry
November 26, 2011
Hmm. That must be where “Here’s one in your eye!” comes from.
Quiet is an underrated pleasure.