Perhaps there’s a better way of celebrating Thanksgiving than the way we have recently decided to. The holiday comes about as an anniversary to the first feast held by the Pilgrims and the Indians to celebrate their survival through the winter and to express gratitude for all their blessings. Looking at the previous centuries of European/American interactions, it was a real turning point. For three days, everybody ate a lot, talked a lot, and lasting friendships where made.

Every year since, Americans have celebrated in a similar fashion, remembering the many things they have to be thankful for. The kids draw turkeys in school and are taught about that first Thanksgiving. We gather our families and reflect on our blessings and friendships. We then proceed to stuff ourselves silly and indulge in gluttony. And how do we top all this off? Black Friday.

After humbly ruminating on how many things we have to be grateful for we then go out in the wee hours of the morning and line up outside retail stores. There we stand like we are in a Soviet breadline hoping to be the first ones to get that specially discounted item. We’re so grateful for what we have. NOW GIMME MORE MORE MORE!!!

It’s not good. It’s not healthy. It’s hypocritical and very immature of us as a society. It’s the equivalent of tossing those mittens that Grandma sewed over our shoulders as we race for the iPod. Isn’t that what we do with Black Friday?

I’m so happy for my family, and the good job I have, and that I traveled safely on that dangerous trip and that Mom’s recovering from her illness, but Ooooh! Look! Shavers at 50% off! $2500 TVs for $1799! A free psp download with every purchase of a gift card! Think of all the stuff we can get! Think of all the money we can save by spending lots now! What if we put signs in front of every store saying "Today 237 Sudanese children will die of hunger. Enjoy your shopping."

Then, one month later we celebrate again with Christmas, where the focus continually switches from taking and giving and is even more commercialized than Thanksgiving. Quick, let’s run to the store because we forgot to go buy something for so-and-so. What if you did something for them instead of saying in effect "We will signify our love for you by giving you $200 of merchandise."

We live in a world run by money, and it's money that has to be exchanged for goods and services, which we all need. But there has to be a healthier, less wanton, way to be happy. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, both centered on gratitude and selflessness, how much good are you going to do with your money?