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Remembrance Day: Welcome to Black Friday



After watching the Remembrance Day ceremonies, we decided to pop into Costco to pick up a bag of dog food. (Costco has the best price on dog food, and with three hungry mouths to feed, a $25 bag of Kirkland dog food can last us two months!)

Anyway, we got there today at 12:30 and had to park in the "additional parking". I go to Costco every week, and with the exception of St. Jean Baptiste Day when the Quebec Costco is closed, I've never had to park there.

Immediately upon entering the store, the bile began to rise up in my throat. The place was packed with public servants, bank employees and posties all fighting over the last Christmas ball. Nearly all the carts were taken.

We weren't ten steps in when Scott disappeared into the crowd and my head started spinning and sweat beads formed on my brow.

This was Remembrance Day and all I saw was a human car wash with people buying gaming systems, flat screens and tourtiere the size of ancient turtles.

In my 55 years, I've never seen anything like it.

When we finally got to the cash, we asked the cashier how it was going.

"We pushed through 700 people in the first half hour," she said. "This is our busiest day of the year."

It was then I realized something. Remembrance Day in Canada has become the equivalent of Black Friday in the U.S.

It is a day of mass consumption and avarice.

So much for pausing to think about the sacrifices made by our veterans.

People in this town obviously don't give a hoot about Remembrance Day. All they care about is getting the best price on holiday stickers and tape.

Remembrance Day for government employees is a chance to spend some quality time with merchandise while the kids are in school.

I have never gone shopping on Remembrance Day. I used to spend the day with veterans, when the Press Club was open. And I wouldn't have gone shopping if I didn't need that giant bag of dog food.

Sincerely, I felt ashamed.

I will never go shopping again on November 11th.

I learned my lesson.

I'll just make sure I get the dog food ahead of time.
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