I’m not going to write an article about how sad it is that Black Friday actually starts late on Thursday and ruins Thanksgiving for workers and how sad it is that consumers have decided to go with finding good deals as opposed to staying home with their families on the holidays.
The reason I’m not going to write that article is because that fight has been lost already.
In the days leading up to Thanksgiving I heard a radio advertisement – for what company/store, I cannot remember – that boasted that Thanksgiving should be called ‘Thanksgetting.’
I know that that is only one company, but that sums up everything that Black Friday represents.
I finally get it. I finally get why a lot of people don’t give a darn about Thanksgiving – because it’s not about getting something in return.
True, on Thanksgiving Americans indulge in food more than usual, but it is a holiday I can defend based on the merits of the spirit of the holiday: being thankful for what you have.
But compare Thanksgiving to Christmas?
Gee, it’s no wonder why people want to zip through one and get to the other. Why spend time being thankful when you can get stuff?
Nobody ever talks about how fun it is to sit and actually reflect on all the things that they have in life and the opportunities that they have been given.
When it comes time for Christmas? Everybody likes getting stuff. There’s not one person who would ever tell you that they don’t like receiving a present.
Christmas was lost a long time ago. Gone are the days where the holiday specials – a la A Charlie Brown Christmas – actually promoted the reason for the season…ya know, Jesus.
Now, Christmas specials promote the spirit of giving.
The spirit of giving. That’s an interesting concept. It sounds nice, doesn’t it? It’s good to give. But, by extension, if someone is giving some is getting.
I’m not against people buying each other Christmas presents, nor am I opposed to stores offering deals for the holidays.
I know that many of the people who go to Black Friday sales are people who need the deals in order to actually buy gifts for people.
To be fair, at least we there weren’t as many reports of people trampling people as there have been in the past.
But is that even really a plus? Should we really be satisfied that people didn’t trample on another over crappy cell phones or pairs of shoes or a video game. You’re not supposed to trample people!
Economists say that Black Friday sales were down in stores but were actually going up online.
Maybe that signifies that people really do want to stay home with their families and that the internet has provided people with the ability to do that and get a great deal at the same time.
I’d like to think that that’s the case, but I know better. In all likelihood it’s just that sites like Amazon had better deals than the actual stores.
If they hadn’t, I am doubtful people would have stayed home.
I have no idea how to remedy this situation.
I don’t even think that this situation can be remedied.
Whatever happens, I think it’s important to reflect on these things.
I know it’s a darn shame that it happens every year and it’s no surprise.
That being said, I’d like to wish you all happy holidays.
Use this time to cherish the ones you love and really reflect on what you have in life. We don’t take a lot of time to do that often.
Brian Laughran
Editor-in-Chief