Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know Black Friday is the Friday following Thanksgiving Day. It’s often thought of as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season, though in reality we’ve been slammed with Christmas sales since well before Halloween. In the last few years we’ve seen a very disturbing trend where most major retailers have opened extremely early and offered Black Friday deals to kick start the holidays. This really pisses me off.
For years, it was common for stores to open at 6:00 AM which in my book is insane. However, in the late 2000’s (What ARE we calling this decade by the way? “The Aughts” just sounds ridiculous) many open times were moved back to 5:00 or even 4:00 AM. And then came 2011. That year, several large chains opened at midnight for the first time. Then last year (2012 for those keeping track) several retailers were open as early as 8:00 PM on THANKSGIVING DAY!!!
If you know anything about me, you know that my family and friends are the most important thing in my world. As such, my “family time” is precious to me and anything that impedes that irritates me to no end. I get that not everyone feels about their family the way I do, but the idea of going shopping on the Friday after Thanksgiving, or worse yet Thanksgiving Day itself boils my blood. I won’t say I haven’t benefited from this “phenomenon” known as Black Friday. The Wife went out last year and got a bad ass television that’s now sitting in my family room. That said, I can’t still can’t behind the idea. The bottom line is this… if we (as a society) continue to feed into the Black Friday hype and show up at the stores, it’s going to continue to be a thing. Consider this my little protest against the practice.
I saw the following Facebook status posted the other day and I felt compelled to re-post it. Below is that post and the ensuing discussion it generated:
Anyone going “Black Friday” shopping on Thanksgiving Thursday will be judged harshly. You’re part of the problem. Your family & the family of those employees is more important than a $10 DVD player.
- Greg – Borrowed from my friend Kenneth and re-posted verbatim cause I agree with it completely.
- Frank – YES!!!!!
- Curtis – my wife, as a walmart employee, thanks all who shop on black friday and deprives her of family time. both on Thanksgiving and black friday.
- Kelly – So no camping out at Best Buy this year?
- Robyn – I know when I still worked in the store level in retail people always fought to work thanksgiving and christmas because of the holiday pay….
- Greg – Robyn – yep, I’ve heard that holiday pay argument before. While I can appreciate that, I’m guessing for the vast majority of folks it’s just them making the best of a bad situation. I simply cannot understand why there can’t be a couple of days where stuff… everything… is closed for 24 hours.
- Jeremy – I agree completely, Greg. If they’re worried about sales, they can always just open the sales online.
- Robyn – It’s also interesting seeing the other side of it now, where I’ve seen people have to stay late and work weekends preparing for these sales, and then thanksgiving is the one guaranteed day off they get to spend with their family, so really the problem is much larger with retail sales in general
- Nii – Hmm not sure I entirely agree. Whose really at fault? Those who set the sales or those who take advantage? It’s a little off to blame those who take advantage of deals… my family does it as do many others. Are we at fault for an employee not being at home? Anyway, if I am to be judged, let it be by the one who matters.
- Greg – Nii – I’ve heard that argument too. If folks would NOT take advantage of the sales, then retail would have no reason to offer them. Stay at home… shop online if you must.
- Heather – Maybe their families, but quite frankly I’d rather be at the store than with mine.
- Jackie – Black Friday has been a tradition for about 10 years. This year I am starting Thursday…but online only. I’ll only be going out on Friday if it is a must.
- Dave – Amen…..
- Phillip – No way, no how will you catch me shopping on either day….
- Stan – Black Friday is just another work day.
- David – The downfall of our society.
- Kenneth – Greed & consumerism. Everyone’s chasing the stuff. Defending it like junkies.
- Dooley – but I’m entitled…. It’s my right isn’t it??? You could catch me in a shop on Black Friday so why would you possibly think ruining Thanksgiving would entice me
- Kent – I’m more PO’d about all the stores opening on Thanksgiving day!!!
I truly hope you’re NOT one of the folks out there fighting the crowds tomorrow night. I know I won’t be. I’d urge you that if you feel you MUST shop then please do it online (there are some great deals to be had for sure). Don’t get me wrong… I’m all for saving a few bucks. But I honestly believe family time is more important.
Regardless of how you spend the holiday have a happy and safe Thanksgiving. Cheers!
Amen, brah. This trend is ridiculous and ruins what is in my opinion the best American holiday. Thanksgiving was about two (and a half) things: Family & food (and then some football). All things best enjoyed at home. As a family. I share your outrage.
The television everyone gathers around to watch football doesn’t run by itself. I have worked every major holiday for television but if I say “if you’re watching TV on Thanksgiving you’re part of the problem” then I sound crazy.
If you need the job, don’t want to work but are being forced to then you found incentive to find a new job. Anyone working retail complaining about working a holiday should looking for a new job. If they say they can’t then they can keep excuses they are arguing for.