Black Friday Rant

I just tweeted about the unfortunate dismantling of an American holiday. People complain that Christmas is commercialized, but what about Thanksgiving? I don’t know about you, but I haven’t seen too many turkey displays in my area. I have, however, seen and heard about Black Friday ad nauseam. It’s all everyone is talking about, even the news. I understand that there are some amazing deals on Black Friday, but opening at 12am is just as ridiculous as opening at 3am the years before. There are people camping out in parking lots, skipping Thanksgiving, so that they can be first in line for the Black Friday deals. I understand that the deals are incredible. I understand that stores do a lot of their business on Black Friday, but come on! Enough is enough. Thanksgiving is supposed to be about being thankful for what you have, like your family. It isn’t supposed to be about waiting in line so that you can be thankful for the tv that you snagged for $299 instead of $700.

Maybe it’s me. Maybe I’m the one who doesn’t get it. I know we’re in a recession. I know times are hard. Maybe there’s a kid out there who wouldn’t have a really nice Christmas present if his father didn’t camp out at a store on Thanksgiving. It just seems like all the emphasis on material things is taking away from the emphasis on family.

I have nothing against people who go shopping on Black Friday, but I miss the old days, where you spent Thanksgiving with your family then you got up early the next day and went shopping.

I always thought Thanksgiving was about being thankful for what you have and spending quality time with the people you love. How did I miss the memo about the changes? When did it become about getting the best deal?

Side note: I confess that I have never gone shopping on Black Friday, but I know people who have and I am open to the possibility of going one year, but I wouldn’t camp out and miss Thanksgiving for any deal in the world.