ToT: Black Friday, Indeed

Today, I am posting my Together on Tuesday topic RIGHT ON TIME! Barely. Small victories.

Time to share our thoughts on Black Friday. If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, it won't be hard to guess what I have to say.

"Christmas is not only getting too commercial, it's getting too dangerous."

I am not a fan.

I am generally not a fan of the materialistic aspects of our culture, so overindulging that immediately after the holiday where we celebrate gratitude for our many blessings just doesn't sit right with me. I also know lots of people who have genuine FUN on their Black Friday. Since no one likes a Debbie Downer, I'm thinking about both the pros and cons of Black Friday.

CONS

-People have to work. It sucks. When I worked retail,I was lucky enough to be able to quit right before  Thanksgiving . . .which meant I could enjoy the holiday meal with my family without the threat of a 2 AM alarm. People are away from their families so other people can shop.
-It's creeping into Thanksgiving. Boo to that, I say.
-Things can get ugly. It's crowded and competitive. People have died. A man forgot his kid (but remembered his TV). People are mean and nasty.
-Most of this stuff we're buying is made with slave labor, at least somewhere down the line. (More info here and here.)

PROS

-Some people genuinely enjoy the thrill of the hunt, all the planning and pursuit of the big bargains.
-Some people keep it a fun way to spend time with family and friends and make some memories.
-All that spending is supposed to boost the economy, right? (You know, keep things in the black and all.)
-It's always fun to give a gift.
-Saving money while being generous is (almost) never a bad thing.

I shopped on Friday, it's true . . . but I did it online and I bought very little. I spent the rest of the day with my kid and family (and taking a much-needed nap). There has to be a way to keep the good of Black Friday while minimizing the bad, right?

What if the stores were open NORMAL hours, to allow people a real (usually paid) holiday to celebrate? If some people really want that holiday pay, maybe they can volunteer to stock the day before.
What if the shoppers were actually kind and showed gratitude (of all things!) to the people who facilitate their shopping experience? What if they were kind to each other? What if kindness and humanity were more important than stuff?
What if shoppers demanded not only the store clerks be treated well,. but insisted on items that were made fairly? Sites like Chain Store Reaction help you know the sourcing practices of different companies and allow you to express your preferences to manufacturers. I use it regularly--just about every time I shop big retail. It's easy! (This says nothing of countless fair trade items available, another good route for gifts.)

I'm more partial to Small Business Saturday, really. And this year I heard about Giving Tuesday--a push for all these frenzied holiday shoppers to donate to their favorite charities. Good idea. If you need any ideas about great places to support, I have plenty. Isn't that what the holiday season is supposed to be about? Spending time being thankful for what we have--so thankful, in fact, that we want to share with others? If Black Friday were more about THAT, maybe it wouldn't feel so black.

What do you think?