Giving thanks or breaking the bank?  Think back a few years and reminisce about the times when making a turkey out of the shape of your hand was the hardest part about Thanksgiving. Now seems to be the time where people are worried about what time stores are open and what is the best time to get those Black Friday deals.Within the past few years more and more stores have been opening earlier for their customers. For 56% of America’s population, Black Friday is its own holiday. Last year alone, 55% of Americans that went out shopping the night of Thanksgiving were out because Black Friday has the best deals of the year.
So back to the initial question, what holiday do you revolve around? Nowadays it seems that most give thanks for stores being open earlier than 12 a.m. on Thanksgiving day. Thanksgiving should be the a time to give thanks for what you have, spend time with your family, and to show appreciation for those who are in our lives. We can go back once again to our 1st grade days and remember the tale of Christopher Columbus finding America and sharing his food with the Native Americans, and they too would share their corn. You most likely will never look back at 1st grade and remember the story of the nice woman who found a brand new store on the busiest day of the year and skipped through the store sharing her great deal findings with strangers as others share theirs with smiles on their faces. Thanksgiving is about giving thanks, which many people seem to have forgotten.
Depending on that person you chose to be on Black Friday, it isn’t necessarily a bad holiday. So what kind of person are you? Are you the genuine person who goes out that Friday morning, has your list of Christmas gifts in one hand and Starbucks in the other on a mission to fulfill that list like Cindy Lou Hoo? Or, are you the person who celebrates Thanksgiving as early and as fast as you can just so you can take a quick nap before heading out into, what some may say, a death trap, just to spend all the money and get all the deals for yourself? Within the span of eight years, there have been 7 deaths and 50 injuries during the early mornings of shopping. This is when America should start to get a little concerned about what is more important in life. Its called Thanks-giving people! GIVE thanks! GIVE to those who can’t give their own thanks and let them thank you!
For those who are planning on going out shopping the night of Thanksgiving, may the odds ever be in your favor. For those who are spending the night with your family, and thinking about possibly going shopping in the morning, excellent choice. But for those who can not decide, first go to BlackFriday.com and see what stores you’re most eager to shop at and find out when they open (and when you are most likely less to suffacate of body heat and plastic bags). Or just think about what is more important in life: Are you giving thanks or breaking the bank?
Â