Several years ago, the Christmas season began one day after Thanksgiving, and the parade that day in New York City, hosted by Macy’s, was the signal.
Several years ago, specifically since 2003, with the birth of Black Friday that has changed and the department stores begin to offer big discounts to those arriving first, motivating buyers that way, as well as radio stations beginning to play Christmas carols.
We are not objecting to that; although customs change, the feelings prevail. We just want to point out that we should not forget the neediest on our list. There are families that this year will not have a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner and even worse, a house to celebrate as a family. Although Thanksgiving dinners are being organized for those directly affected, it will never be the same.
The situation for which hundreds of families are going through since September 13 in Andover, Lawrence and North Andover is simply depressing. The magnitude of the disaster has been so great that it is not easy to repair the damage and it will take a long time for the nightmare we are living now to remain only in memory.
We particularly were not affected. Although we live in South Lawrence we never used gas, instead, we have oil for heating and electricity for the rest of our needs. Of this last one, we only lacked power for two days that is why we can understand better than anyone the vicissitudes that our neighbors are going through.
We do not want to ignore and not mention the tragedy that California is going through, where entire towns with some of their inhabitants have disappeared from the map because of the fires.
Yes, this year we are going to have dinner for Thanksgiving in keeping the tradition not as a celebration, but for remembering and sharing the suffering that so many are going through.
