Thanksgiving is almost here and while many folks are busy making preparations for the big meal and family visits, some are mapping out their Black Friday shopping route.
I like to shop and snag a great deal as much as anyone, but I have my limits.
A friend of mine recently commented on the hot topic regarding how department stores should remain closed until well after Thanksgiving Day is over.
Most businesses open that evening offering door buster deals and many other incentives to wait in a long line outside their storefront.
His point was that if there wasn’t a demand then the stores wouldn’t be open and require their employees to leave their toasty homes and families in order to manage an overzealous public.
I agree. But has anyone ever pointed their finger at the thousands of consumers that flock to these stores with their bellies still full of turkey?
I have shopped a couple of times on Thanksgiving evening into Friday morning and have experienced the long waits, blood on department store floors and confrontations that lead to the involvement of local law enforcement. It’s not fun and I mainly went to see what all the fuss was about.
I’m not against Black Friday as long as it allows employees to spend a well-deserved amount of time among family and doesn’t begin before daylight hours.
However, let’s not place all the blame on business owners. They are merely supplying a service to a demanding public.
A majority of shoppers will secure their place in line sometimes more than 24-hours before the deals begin.
This year, let’s challenge consumers to stay at home with their families for the duration of Thanksgiving Day, get a good night’s rest and wake up early for a day of bargain hunting and Christmas shopping.
Remember what Thanksgiving is really about. This holiday is about giving thanks for the blessings in your life and spending time with family, not about fighting over material possessions.