My extended family goes all out for Black Friday. After the last piece of pie is gobbled up and the table is cleared, the men go watch football and the women plan their attack for Black Friday shopping. Fliers from Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Kohl’s, Staples, Macy’s, and God knows where else completely cover what was once the dinner table. Christmas Lists from cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, neighbors, pets, the local Starbucks barista, and my sister’s boyfriend’s second cousin once removed are buried under “Bath and Body Works Black Friday Exclusives!” This is the office where my aunt, grandma, mom, and older sister get to work. To stay organized, they actually make a spreadsheet on Excel. Go ahead, call them crazy. One thing they refuse to do? Go shopping before the clock strikes midnight. That’s crazy.
A quick Google search told me at least thirty-four stores are starting their Black Friday deals on Thanksgiving Day. THIRTY-FOUR STORES WHAT THE EVEN HECK! The worst part is most of these stores are opening between 5pm and 6pm. That is the exact time when people are supposed to be sitting down to pray and give thanks for what life has generously given them. Instead they might already be in line waiting for the Target doors to open eyeing the lady with war paint across her freezing cheeks. There are all kinds of wrong with this image.
For crying out loud, people are starting to forget how days of the week work. Check this out if you need a refresher:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfVsfOSbJY0
Are fireworks scheduled to light up your town on July 3? Does your city parade down Main St. the Sunday before Memorial Day? Do moms hide Easter eggs on Holy Saturday? Most likely these answers are no. So why are we expected to celebrate Black Friday on a Thursday? That Thursday before just so happens to have a holiday of its own. That Thursday is already overlooked by another holiday that won’t be here for another month. Give Thanksgiving some credit. Take the full day to spend time with your family and be thankful for what you already have. It’s not every day when you can relax with your entire family and simply enjoy the company. Save the Black Friday shopping for Friday.
Also, this is the time when everyone is eating. What kind of world do we live in where shopping overrules eating? Think of all the people who wake up incredibly early to prepare for the elaborate family dinner. First, they probably aren’t worrying about going shopping because they’re too busy calculating when to cook everything so it will all be done on time. Second, you don’t want to be the one who wastes all that hard work when you’re all like, “Thanks for the food, but Walmart opens in four hours, so I’ll just take a roll and be on my way. K bye.” Don’t do that. Dinner is the prime time for bonding because good food makes everyone happy. For some families, this is the only day of the year when everyone comes together. There is no way shopping could be more important than that.
Nobody wants family members missing from the dinner table because they are shopping, or worse, working. Those who work in retail will have no other choice but to work on Thanksgiving night. That is the opposite of what Thanksgiving is all about. I mean, JCPenny thinks this day is all about her by starting Black Friday deals at 5pm on Thanksgiving. Girl, take a step back and look at what you’re doing to our Thanksgiving. I’ll see you on Friday.