In 2010, the time for Black Friday was 6 a.m. The excitement of waking up early and driving to the mall with my mom for a fun filled day with crowded stores, long lines, and great deals was unmatched. I made sure to plan out my clothes the day before, set three alarms, and get a nice breakfast before we left. It was a real treat to see what we could get for under $100. But, this was still the day after Thanksgiving. We could celebrate with our families, eat great food, and then plan to work it off the next day with our power walks from store to store.

In more recent years, the time for stores to open has become midnight, right after families are waking up from turkey induced food comas. In the coming years, up to the present, Black Friday sales and openings have intruded on what is supposed to be a peaceful family holiday. We are supposed to come together and catch up, spend quality time and get ready for the great Christmas season to come. We are to embrace the family time around us and tell everyone what we are thankful for. But time and time again, Black Friday always shoves its way into the mainstream, distracting everyone from what's truly important.

I am all for great deals, don't get me wrong. But I am also for great quality family time. Being away at college has made me cherish the family time more and more every year. While we only do Thanksgiving with my immediate family and my sister-in-law's family, we still are able to catch up. We go around the table and state what we are thankful for, as cheesy as it sounds. But with the "4 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day" deals cramming into our time, it makes everything a little rushed.

I also tend to think about the employees. They prepare in advance for Black Friday and work long hours, and I'm sure they deal with some unruly, ungrateful, and downright rude customers. They might've been cut away from a family dinner due to an obligation to work. This means they can't celebrate the holiday with loved ones. Why is Thanksgiving being pushed to the back burner for just a few extra hours of shopping?

Some people want to go to the sales so they can get the right sizes and everything they need to get. And I'd be lying if I said I haven't gone to the midnight opening of stores. But four o'clock? What's going to happen next, is Butter Ball going to hide Black Friday coupons in their turkeys? My point is, Thursday and Friday are two separate days. Thanksgiving and Black Friday are two separate days. Let's keep them apart and not go too overboard with early bird specials.