Are this year’s early Black Friday hours a sign of creeping commercialism or a desperation ploy by battered retailers? We’ve heard both explanations since many stores announced they would open by midnight on Thanksgiving Day. That’s the night before Black Friday with some chains asking their employees to report to work at 11 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.
Brick and mortar stores have faced increasing competition from online sites and have never completely bounced back to their pre-recession numbers. The traditional early morning Black Friday sales are a huge event, a tradition for some sleep-deprived families. We certainly understand why retail employers are looking for every possible edge in an effort to serve their customers.
Still, we can’t help but yearn for a simpler time when most folks could count on Thanksgiving Day as a family day to relax, watch football and over-indulge. It would be nice if we could hold off the holiday shopping madness for a few hours and wait until the wee hours of Black Friday, no matter how compelling the bargains might be.
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Comments (3)
Add commentOverrated
Christmas is about Christ not presents. Sure its nice to give and receive. But face it people with out Christ there would be No Christmas.
karrisa
You are right but unfortunately most people don't call it Christmas anymore. It is now Santa Claus, Frosty, and Rudolph. We say Happy Holidays because we've become accustomed to negative remarks from others when we say Merry Christmas. Thanksgiving, though many would argue, is not the happy filled family time that so many paint as the norm. It seems to be another day, but one in which people overindulge in football, food, and alcohol. It is not so much a holiday as the unofficial mark of the Christmas, oops, I mean, Holiday Season. People are so stressed out during this time; who needs what present, how long to get to the relatives house, not all family members get along, do I have enough money for travel and gifts and food? Add alcohol, bad weather, the fact that so many are depressed at this time, and we wonder why violence and crime soar from Thanksgiving to New Years? As for Black Friday being so early, we scream about our economy losing ground, the businesses add a few extra hours, and everyone acts like the world is coming to an end. My suggestion: don't like it, stay home. As for the employee, if it makes you mad, then quit. There are 100's of people out there that would love a job, any job, and you can make it a win-win for everyone.
This paper is a hypocrisy
To have an negative opinion about Black Friday and then go all around town, stuffing every mailbox and paper holder with the latest fliers from the same businesses that are having the sales is a joke. Choose one side of an argument or keep your mouth shut!