Now don’t get me wrong, I love Black Friday just as much as the next sales go-getter, but I don’t love the fact that over the past few years this day has turned into its own holiday which ultimately results in disregarding the actual holiday itself. Thanksgiving is not supposed to be about the limited-edition tote you could get by spending X amount of dollars at Victoria’s Secret or the many sales at Ulta. Thanksgiving is meant to be spent with friends and family, enjoying each other’s company and being thankful for what you have rather than what you want to have.
For years now many stores have been opening earlier and earlier; some have even been open on Thanksgiving and throughout the night. Like I said before, Thanksgiving is for family, not for consumer items. Thankfully this year, many places like Mall of America and other local malls and retail stores have decided to temporarily close on Thanksgiving in order to allow employees to spend time with their families and enjoy the extra time before they’re bombarded with the mad rush of customers.
This year Mall of America (Bloomington, MN) announced that it will be officially opening at 5 a.m. on Friday instead of staying open throughout the night as it has done in years past. Another local mall, Burnsville Center (local mall located south of the Twin Cities), has also decided to follow in Mall of America’s footsteps: closed on Thanksgiving and reopening at 6 a.m. on Black Friday. However, other stores like Target and Best Buy still plan on being open on Thanksgiving night through Black Friday, with Best Buy starting their Black Friday hours at 5 p.m. and Target starting theirs at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving night.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are not official holidays, yet they have been deemed as such because thousands of people take part in them each year. I participate in both, but I don’t leave my family’s Thanksgiving right after dessert just to be sure that I get the extra Black Friday discount. I would actually rather be with my friends and family than out shopping, but for me Black Friday is when I get all my Christmas shopping done.
When it comes to holidays, spending time with friends and family should be at the top of your list, especially if you’re a college student who’s away from home. Yes, we all like shopping, sales, and being able to splurge a little bit, but putting what we want before those who care about us is sad. This Thanksgiving I urge you to put down the shopping list and credit card and spend the holiday with laughter, love, and endless amounts of food. Once the Thanksgiving celebration is done, take a little nap and energize before going out to your favorite Black Friday locations. Enjoy this holiday season and everything that comes with it, but also remember to be thankful for what you already have.