Thanksgiving is on its way. But maybe you’re not looking forward to stuffing your belly with as much turkey, stuffing and pie as possible. Maybe you consider the next big holiday the day after Thanksgiving, the day people push each other in a race toward that one good deal that everyone wants. Maybe you just can’t wait until Black Friday.
But the problem with Black Friday is not so much the rude attitudes of normally kind-natured people, nor the apathy these people show for fellow human beings in lieu of snagging that great sale. A larger issue revolves around the fact that Black Friday is no longer a fitting name, because many stores are now opening their doors Thanksgiving evening. While there’s no problem with families parting close to midnight on the night of Thanksgiving to head to stores that will open at midnight Black Friday morning, the stores that are opening earlier and earlier, sometimes as early as before dinnertime, should reconsider this practice.
The tradition of Black Friday shopping began in the 1960s, usually signaling the beginning of Christmas shopping. The descriptor “black” was incorporated because when the accounting records were kept by hand in that time period, red ink would represent losses while black ink would represent profits. Retailers soon realized that by offering incredible deals and discounts on this day, they could rope in eager consumers and generate copious amounts of revenue.
Over time, however, stores began competing with one another by pushing their opening times earlier and earlier until eventually many places of business were opening Thanksgiving evening. This opportunity for shopping creates a conflict for consumers, as they are forced to decide between spending the evening with their loved ones and hopping in line at the store with the most unbelievable sale so that they can be sure to grab that product before the store sells out. Especially for those families with young children, choosing shopping over spending Thanksgiving at home might send a message that the importance of family falls second to great prices and materialism.
Furthermore, leaving the house to go out shopping Thursday not only interferes with possible time spent with loved ones, but it also takes the opportunity away from workers to spend time with their families. Is it really fair for stores to require their employees to work on this holiday that should be spent relaxing and eating as much pumpkin pie as humanly possible? Memories made on holidays such as Thanksgiving are ones that are extremely valuable to many, and should not be compromised by an angry boss at work who demands that you work on this day (dare I make the comparison to an Ebenezer Scrooge-type situation). When we shop on Thanksgiving, we are indirectly supporting the stores who have set their opening times hours earlier than when the clock strikes midnight leading into the true Black Friday.
Believe me, I love a great deal as much as the next person, and I personally enjoy the rush of Black Friday shopping. But, let this be a tradition kept for the day after Thanksgiving. If you can’t keep yourself from participating in the Black Friday events prior to the actual day, at least consider online shopping, which can be done from home. By agreeing to shop this way, you are at least supporting the notion that brick and mortar stores should not be open on a national holiday, forcing employees to deal with a sea of never-ending, frantic customers. Consider making this commitment, and feel proud to help reinvent the initial traditions of both Thanksgiving and the infamous Black Friday.
Payden White (pwhite4
