As many of us prepare to gather and break bread with friends and family near and far, others are strategically mapping out their shopping trips and sales. And still others who work in retail are arranging their family time around an earlier and earlier Black Friday start, which, over the past few years, encroaches on Thanksgiving Day.

The Black Friday Sale is modeled on the basic consumer behavior principles of competition and urgency. According to an article published by Psychology Today:

 We are, in our evolutionary hearts, still hunters and gatherers. The challenge of beating other shoppers to a bargain can leave us just crazed enough to fill our carts with stuff we don’t need — but certainly don’t want to lose out on because another shopper grabbed it first.

Retailers pushing their Black Friday Sales into Thanksgiving are capitalizing on shoppers’ perceived pressure to be the first/earliest in order to get the best deals before they run out. And while they’ll claim that opening for Thanksgiving is to appease their customers, it’s clear that the participating retailers are looking to improve their 4Q. According to an article on Yahoo Finance, “Many of the chains opening on Thanksgiving Day…have endured negative EPS [Earning Per Share] growth during the past year.”

However, P.C. Richard & Son, an electronics retailer serving Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, is taking full advantage of their decision to remain closed on Thanksgiving by running a TV spot that criticizes other retailers for their Grinchly practices while still slipping in their own Black Friday sale info.

The messaging has paid off, evidenced by the P.C. Richard & Son Facebook page, where they’re praised for keeping the holiday family oriented. Here, the retailer’s message is more about their employees than their customers:

P.C. Richard & Son appreciates the support and kind words from those who have already heard about our decision to once again remain closed on Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a day many of us look forward to not because of great deals, but because it is a time to break bread with family and friends, to count our blessings, make new memories, and reconnect. From our 2,955 employees, thank you for your support and have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

Whether this is a decisive marketing play or a genuine concern for employee health and wellness, kudos to P.C. Richard and Son for their work to save Thanksgiving.