I used to love Black Friday. I didn't go every year, but on the few occasions I could convince my mom to take me to the mall I was ready to go at four in the morning on the day after Thanksgiving, just like millions of other Americans who were ready to score some sweet holiday deals.
Fast forward to now, as I realize that I haven't really thought about Black Friday lately because with age comes the discovery that waking up at four in the morning and fighting through hoards of people is made exponentially worse with a hangover. Plus, why anyone physically goes to a store when online shopping exists (Hello, Cyber Monday is a thing ya'll!) is beyond me.
Due to my loss of interest in Black Friday and all it's glory, I haven't been up to date on the fact that stores are opening their doors to eager customers earlier and earlier every year. Therefore, as I'm sure you can imagine, my recent stumble upon a headline stating that JC Penny is beginning Black Friday at 3 p.m on Thanksgiving Day was rather shocking. This is not a new event: Apparently they've been opening their doors earlier and earlier every year. I decided to see what other stores are opening on Thanksgiving Day.
It turns out the answer is a lot of them. Big name retailers like Target and Kohl's are opening their doors at 6 PM and 5 PM respectively on Thanksgiving Day this year. Does no one else see the problem with that?
Employees being ripped away from their families to go to work on a holiday that is supposed to be all about being together with loved ones, not in the midst of the mass chaos that is American consumerism. Even worse, people are making the conscious decision to spend time away from home and possibly their families just to get some stuff that they could just as easily be buying online. People are actually choosing to spend their afternoons fighting crowds for the best priced TV instead of enjoying the company of friends and family, good food, and thankful reflection. It seems totally ironic to me that a day that is all about being thankful for what you have is slowly being wiped away by a day that completely opposes that sentiment. Now, instead of taking Thanksgiving Day to give thanks, these early opening times are forcing us to spend it in a state of greed.
Quite frankly, if stores start to open earlier and earlier, Black Friday could very well take over Thanksgiving for good, and honestly it seems as if that is already becoming a reality. Yes, for many people the Black Friday price cuts are an important resource in regards to buying affordable Christmas presents, and yes, the whole concept of Black Friday really can be fun and worth it. However, the blatant disregard for family togetherness by retailers is absolutely absurd. A lot of people seem to have forgotten that Thanksgiving isn't just about eating your weight in turkey, it's also one of the only times of the year when entire families are able to come together. It's supposed to be one of the only days that you're surrounded by your loved ones, cooking, laughing, drinking and having a good time without work hanging over your head. Has it really gotten to the point where that sentiment is lost? I for one hope not.
Black Friday is great, but it's called Black Friday for a reason--it has no place stepping into Thursday. Thanksgiving is a time for family, love, and reflection, not fighting strangers for a half-priced sweater at JC Penny. We as a society need to take Thanksgiving back. Is it really so unreasonable to ask that stores remain closed until 12 a.m. on Friday morning? I don't think so, and I'm sure the employees that are being dragged away from their families on a national holiday would agree.
