Ray-DEE-coo-lahs

I recently had my Honduran friend, Emil, tell me how great it is that we celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States. He had heard that many Christians have a big dinner together with their families, they go around and tell what they're thankful for, and they play table games or football together afterwards. Sounds pretty neat, huh? Thanksgiving IS a great holiday, I have to say it's one of my favorites, and I certainly plan on celebrating it together with my Mexican family (whoever they may be) next year.

In telling my catracho friend about our Thanksgiving traditions, I included what happens today - the day AFTER Thanksgiving. We spend a day doing family stuff and being thankful, then, the next day, we get up at 4:30 in the morning to go to Fred Meyer to buy SOCKS at 50% off. (Yes, if you're not from the NorthWest, I realize you have NO clue what I'm talking about and must think we're psycho). We plan out how long we can spend there and still get to Mervyn's in time to get the freebie that their giving out. We usually send one person to Penny's to get their freebie too. And this shopping day isn't just people wanting to be frugal and get discounts on their Christmas shopping, it's brutal! I've seen full on fights at Fred Meyer - men yelling at each other over a shopping cart full of socks, women hitting each other with their purses.... I didn't see any of that today, but there was a mad rush when the doors opened at 5am. It reminds me of people racing for their favorite rides at Disneyland. Except this is all of cheap socks.

I was talking to Emil via instant messenger, so I unfortunately couldn't see his face after I told him all that goes on the day AFTER our "wonderful day of thankfulness". But I think he was a bit disgusted. And, thinking about our tradicions now, I'M pretty disgusted too. I've been thinking recently about what things Christians in other countries see that United States Christians do that truely are sinful, but we don't think of them as sinful - just cultural. I imagine our materialistic attitudes is one of those things. I know it's a lot easier for me to see things in other cultures that they pass off as "cultural" that truely are sins. It's harder to see those things in my own culture! So, today I find myself apalled at the utter thanklessness that goes on the day AFTER Thanksgiving. I grew up knowing that this day is the day that we go buy as much as possible for the lowest prices possible, and nothing better stop us! I think it's time to change my "cultural" tradition of the day after Thanksgiving, and start seeing it the way the rest of the world sees it - as pure greed.

Well, next year, I won't have the opportunity to go to Fred Meyer on this day, but I WILL have the opportunity to take the GOOD parts of our Thanksgiving holiday to another culture, and share with them our tradicions of giving thanks for what we do have and being with family!!