Smile! Target Says
They say that everyone is more friendly during the holiday season.
I think this is actually true. During the months of November and December, people want to get into the proper spirit, so they’re nicer. They say “please” and “thank you” more, they hold the door open for you, and they might even smile more.
Target is making sure their employees do. They have a new “10-4” policy. If an employee is within ten feet of a customer, they have to smile. If they’re within four feet of a customer, they have to also “initiate a warm, helpful interaction.”
(Anything closer will get you a meeting with Target human resources.)
I would hope that smiling is a natural thing that every Target employee does, without coaching or edicts. I hope it’s something that every employee at every company does. I’m smiling right now.
Cambridge Dictionary’s Word of the Year
I was going to say that I’d give you a million dollars if you could guess what the word is, but then I remembered I don’t have a million dollars.
Not that anyone would guess it anyway. It’s “parasocial.” That’s right, the word nobody used in 2025 is apparently Cambridge Dictionary’s Word of the Year.
It makes me get all misty-eyed and nostalgic, remembering the days when “67” was the word of the year.
The Housekeeping Olympics
If they’re giving out medals for housekeeping, I think I deserve at least a silver medal for mopping my floor. I’m really good at it but probably not “gold-medal good.”
Sizzler!
I’ve never eaten at a Sizzler, but maybe that will change now that they’re making a big comeback.
They used to have 700 locations, but right now they only have 74.
Christmas Song of the Week
(Uploaded to YouTube by Matt Dusk)
RIP Jim Avila, Elizabeth Franz, Randy Jones, Todd Snider, Ted Hartley, Dan McGrath, William Rataczak, Bob Shumway, and Richard Lamparski
Jim Avila was a veteran correspondent for ABC News. He died last week at the age of 70.
Elizabeth Franz was an acclaimed stage actress who won a Tony for Death of a Salesman. She also appeared in such films as School Ties, Sabrina, Thinner, and The Secret of My Success. She died earlier this month at the age of 84.
Randy Jones was a Cy Young Award-winning pitcher for the San Diego Padres and a two-time All-Star. He died Wednesday at the age of 75.
Todd Snider was a folk rocker who had such songs as “Alright Guy.” He died last week at the age of 59.
Ted Hartley was the former chairman of RKO Pictures, an actor, a producer, and the husband of actress Dina Merrill. He died in October at the age of 100.
Dan McGrath was a writer on such shows as The Simpsons, King of the Hill, and Saturday Night Live. He died last week at the age of 61.
William Rataczak was the copilot on the flight that included D.B. Cooper as one of the passengers. He died in October at the age of 86.
Bob Shumway was the last known survivor of the 1942 Cocoanut Grove fire in Boston. He died in June at the age of 101.
Richard Lamparski wrote the Whatever Became of… books. He died earlier this month at the age of 93.
This Week in History
Georgia O’Keeffe Born (November 15, 1887)
In 1939, the ad firm for the Hawaiian Pineapple Company (later known as Dole) sent the American artist to Hawaii to do a series of paintings to be used in advertisements. One of those paintings appeared on page 115 of the April 13, 1940, issue of the Post.
Milli Vanilli Exposed (November 20, 1990)
The hit duo admitted that they didn’t sing on their album, in one of the most bizarre press conferences ever.
This Week in Saturday Evening Post History: General Mills Ad (November 18, 1950)
Georgia O’Keeffe isn’t the only female artist to have a painting appear in a Post ad.
Thanksgiving Recipes
If you’re like me, you’re having turkey next Thursday. But what if you don’t like turkey, or you like it but want to change things up a little this year?
The New York Times has recipes for several turkey alternatives, including roast chicken, beef Wellington, pork chops, samosa pie, and lasagna.
If you’re looking for side dishes, Smitten Kitchen has Skillet-Baked Macaroni and Cheese, Bon Appétit has Sweet Potatoes with Bourbon and Maple, Delish has a Classic Thanksgiving Stuffing, and Martha Stewart has Perfect Mashed Potatoes (of course they’re perfect, they’re from Martha Stewart).
For dessert, try this Pumpkin Pie from Sarah Gim, this Sugar-Crusted Apple Cobbler from King Arthur Baking, or this French Silk Chocolate Pie from Allrecipes.
Appetizers? The Pioneer Woman has 90 of them. That’s right, 90! They include a Caramelized Onion and Bacon Dip, Antipasto Skewers, Bacon-Wrapped Dates, and Deviled Eggs.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Next Week’s Holidays and Events
National Jukebox Day (November 26)
Did you know that there are still over 65,000 jukeboxes in bars, clubs, and other places around the U.S.? Many of them are from TouchTunes.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (November 27)
You can watch it on NBC and Peacock starting at 8:30 a.m. It’s followed by the annual National Dog Show.
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Comments
Sorry, Matt Dusk is OK but Andy Williams will always have my heart at the holidays !!
It’s pretty sad Target had to issue a policy regarding employee to customer inattentiveness. Common sense and courtesy is dying out with this generation so connected to their cell phones they can’t go anywhere without them. I have a better idea. How about locers to put cell phones in during work hours with the only time they could be taken out would be during meal, afternoon, and morning breaks. This works in schools that have instituted such policies.
Well, Bob, I’m afraid we might have a parasocial relationship. You enter my home every Saturday and I feel like I know you but it is all one-sided…
So happy to see there is a National Jukebox Day! I particularly love restaurants that have the in-booth versions and play a tune or two when they are working.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I heard about the whole new mandatory Target employee policy for November/December. I can just see an annoying percentage of shoppers using their phones as ‘weaponized lawfare’ against employees they don’t feel complied exactly so. A lot of very immature, brain-dead “influencers” looking for attention.
“Parasocial” is a stupid word. Click the link, and guess what? It’s also directly linked to “influencers”; no surprise there; God. How about literally the most OVERUSED word of the year, which IS ‘literally’?! Now it means nothing.
That’s good news about the Sizzler. I have one about 4 miles from me in Chatsworth, but don’t go too often now. Cost. I can afford it, but can’t justify it. I miss the one in Van Nuys that was 8 miles away, family owned since 1965. It closed down in late 2019, and just sits there with weeds all around; behind a chain link fence.
Thanks for the Christmas song, Bob. I was not familiar with this crooner, Matt Dusk, before. He’s the real deal in the tradition of some of our vintage favorites. I’m already looking forward to the National Dog Show on Thursday. Afterwards, let’s all try to make our Thanksgivings as pleasant as the one on the current cover of the Post, right?