by Suanna Gutierrez | Staff Writer|
Black Friday seems more reminiscent of the plague than the holiday season.
The essential tools in preparation for the holidays seem to be a coffee in hand, coupons, ads, the family wish list and a prepared mentality to stand in line for hours.
What happened to tree lighting, baking cookies and more importantly Thanksgiving? The essence of the holidays has significantly shifted from moments to presents.
Black Friday isn’t solely responsible for the materialistic sentiments that have infiltrated the American celebration of the season, but it definitely seems to be a landmark product of our lost ways.
The insanity that engulfs the inside of a store for Black Friday deals is stunning.
It’s almost unbelievable to see the beyond hundreds of people standing in lines that literally wrap around store perimeters for deals that, which while in this financial time help, are mediocre at best.
This year if it’s not enough to be opening stores at 4 a.m. the morning after Thanksgiving Day, a handful are taking the initiative to open at twelve midnight on Thanksgiving night.
Some companies like Toys’R’Us have taken action to one up all others by opening for door buster savings at 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving.
When did Thanksgiving become a bartering chip for companies and their holiday productivity?
Beyond the productivity greed, it’s disappointing to see that the most valuable asset to the livelihood of those companies are fully taken advantage of; their store employees.
I personally have been one of those employees responsible for a Black Friday shift. While my family was celebrating Thanksgiving night, I was headed to bed to catch sleep before waking up at 2 a.m. to fight traffic and crowds for my 3 a.m. shift.
I didn’t necessarily feel as if my position of holding “The Line Starts Here” sign was so essential to the stores Black Friday function or that it was worth the time away from my family.
Even more frightening than the lost respect for family values, the Black Friday craze among the public has also proven fatal, killing three people in 2008. People have died and been trampled at the expense of nothing more than an average sale of toys, clothing and electronics.
Deep discounts always make wallets feel fuller this time of year but Black Friday store sales are not as exclusive as popularly assumed.
Most company’s offer the same sales in store on the Internet Black Friday morning. Many company’s even have exclusive online sales and often offer free shipping.
I couldn’t tell you what presents were underneath the tree for me two years ago let alone when I was 7 years old, but I can tell you the loved ones I was blessed to see and the memories of those days will never leave me.
Prioritize your holiday lists this year, not with Xbox’s or Barbie’s, but with your time. Give your time to those you love and those in need. It might be old fashioned, but it’s what makes the holidays ones to remember.
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