There’s a special day our country celebrates during this time of year. It brings families together, and it’s a good excuse to dress cozily and purchase a piping hot pumpkin spice latte before heading out into the cold.
You know this day well as it has rich history in the land of America. Those who have gone before us endured hardships, even death, in order to secure what they thought would provide happiness for themselves and their families.
In fact, we even get a break from school, giving us a chance to celebrate it! Thanksgiving? No, no, no, I’m referring to Black Friday.
As you all know, Black Friday is all about shopping. It’s all about the winding lines stretching on and on, drawing local TV news stations to film and interview the dedicated shoppers. It’s all about the coupons, the sales and the door busters.
I realize I cannot single-handedly remove the current coupon-crazed condition of our country. Black Friday will most likely continue, but there are steps you can take, as shopping citizens, to ensure a more positive experience in the future.
In regard to the Black Friday checkout lines alone, can I just say, “Ain’t nobody got time for that!”
There is such chaos, crowding and confusion going on, and I don’t know how people endure it. The simple solution is to keep the main aisle clear in front of the registers, in order to allow for a flow of traffic. It seems like a small step, but I ensure you, it would be more productive.
Not only is it impractical to clog the aisle in front of the registers, but I’m curious to know why stores bundle up products in the middle of main aisles in the store – only to open them up at random times and cause more congestion in the aisles!
As if Black Friday shopping on its own wasn’t crowded enough! My friends, I’m telling you, ain’t nobody got time for that!
Besides the clogged aisle, now you have customers fighting over who will get the last HDTV in stock. We are creating unnecessary dissension among strangers who have just spent the previous hours giving thanks for what they have.
And this leads me to a third point. Black “Friday” deals now begin at 6pm on Thanksgiving night at Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart, it’s Thanksgiving. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
Where do we draw the line between Thanksgiving and Thanksgetting? This holiday is quickly losing its meaning, with retailers doing their part to shove the meaning out as well. We need to reprioritize.
Shoppers. Don’t think that you are exempt from any blame. You are the ones that provide the business for these stores. You are the ones that clog the aisles, fight over meaningless products, and show up hours before to claim your spots in line. And for what purpose? To purchase some TVs and some laptops? To compete for the best prices?
Does this not sound shallow to you? We’ve shifted our focus from the Mayflower to Macy’s sales, from the pilgrims to price checks, and from family to fighting.
When you stop to evaluate where your priorities lie, I hope that, when thinking of consuming your Thanksgiving break with shopping, you might say, ain’t nobody got time for that.
Ben Pearson says
Great perspective!
Ellen Kersey says
Emily – I loved the alliteration: Mayflower to Macy’s, pilgrims to price checks and family to fighting — good job!