Black Thursday?

[Brandi]

This is just not right! Everyone should have thanksgiving off! Everyone! My friend works for our local Von's. She has to work 11:00 to 5:15 thanksgiving. So we are waiting and having dinner when she get's off work.

[tangentgirl]

L*a*m*e*

Editing because it's super-lame. I agree, everyone should have the day off. I hope people refuse to shop on Thanksgiving.

[indysteel]

Totally agreed. Black Friday repulses me enough as it is. The fact that it's moved into Thanksgiving itself is sad. I can't wait to hear/read all the news stories about the crazy lengths people went to to get a deal on cr*ap they likely don't need or can't afford.

[skhill]

This consumerist orgy is ridiculous. I just wish every person thinking of shopping on Black Thursday/Friday would just take a moment, and consider whether his or her desire for a great deal on crap that's likely unneeded is really more important than the hope of a underpaid retail worker to enjoy a Thanksgiving with family and friends...

[limewave]

I normally do Black Friday shopping, but I am pretty conservative as everything I buy HAS to be a present for someone and has to be in our preplanned budget.

This year I am really bothered by stores opening up on Thanksgiving. I made the decision to shop at the local stores instead. They do a "Friday Frenzy" and offer a variety of discounts. All the stores are local and specialty shops. And they open around 8-9 AM. I won't have to wait in line all night! :) The gifts I buy will all have a local and unique flare.

[spokewench]

I think it is ridiculous to have stores open on Thanksgiving. What, people are so dumb they can't figure out stores are closed and can't plan their lives to not have to go to a store for a few days of the year.

[Blueberry]

When some of my favorite people have had to work Thanksgiving at whole foods, I've brought them pumpkin cranberry muffins on Thanksgiving morning (and then walked out without buying anything so as not to encourage the practice of being open). My own little protest that they're open (and way to be nice to the employees).

[indysteel]

I normally do Black Friday shopping, but I am pretty conservative as everything I buy HAS to be a present for someone and has to be in our preplanned budget.

This year I am really bothered by stores opening up on Thanksgiving. I made the decision to shop at the local stores instead. They do a "Friday Frenzy" and offer a variety of discounts. All the stores are local and specialty shops. And they open around 8-9 AM. I won't have to wait in line all night! :) The gifts I buy will all have a local and unique flare.

If I had complete control over my Thanksgiving holiday, I wouldn't shop at all. I've made it clear that I'm not going to the mall with my inlaws and the family friends that they spend the holiday with every year. The compromise is that I will go to a handful of local shops--including one that's a gallery for local artisians. I enjoy that, but there's nothing "Black Friday-ish" about these stores and, sadly, they're mostly empty on Friday. But we don't have any shopping to do as we've already purchased the few gifts that we needed to buy.

[Jolt]

Totally agreed. Black Friday repulses me enough as it is. The fact that it's moved into Thanksgiving itself is sad. I can't wait to hear/read all the news stories about the crazy lengths people went to to get a deal on cr*ap they likely don't need or can't afford.

I agree...people in retail etc. should NOT be stuck working on holidays like that, they should be allowed to enjoy the day with their families. It's not like it's essential for stores to be open on Thanksgiving...totally different from those of us who do have to work holidays because our services are legitimately needed and people can't wait (can't close the hospitals just b/c it's a holiday!!). There is no reason why people should feel the need to shop on Thanksgiving; I don't even get the whole Black Friday thing (who wants to get up at 0dark: 30 and then deal with crazy crowds of obnoxious people standing in line and then pushing and shoving to get to stuff? Not me...I'll shop online thankyouverymuch and not have to interact with all the crazies). This whole thing disgusts me...it's just wrong.

[Crankin]

Well, I don't celebrate Christmas, so I don't get a lot about the need to stand in line in the middle of the night. I do buy holiday gifts, and I've been doing it locally or on line for years.
When I lived in AZ I did get used to grocery stores being open on Thanksgiving. Here, we still have Blue Laws that prohibit this. The Black Friday sales are not starting until 12:30 AM.

[indysteel]

The "mere" fact that people have died during Black Friday rampages is reason enough to dispense with it. Of course, I realize that's pretty unrealistic at this point. It's too much of a sacred cow.

When did Black Friday become such a big deal by the way? I vaguely remember the Friday after Thanksgiving being a shopping day when I was a kid, but I don't remember it being quite so crazy. Of course, when I was a kid, the concept of indoor malls was still a bit of a novelty. Certainly, there was no such thing as a "big box retailer." We mostly shopped at L.S. Ayres and Blocks--large downtown department stores. They were civilized places if memory serves. Going there at Christmas time was a treat because of all the pretty decorations, including a huge tree. Now everything is just so obnoxious and in your face. I'll admit it; I've grown to really dislike the holidays because of it.

[limewave]

When I participate in Black Friday, I usually start at Sears. They have just about everything there. And its not as popular a store as Walmart, Best Buy, etc. Plus there are multiple entrances. I arrive about 10-15 minutes before they open. If I enter at the door by the clothes, I can get right in, the line by the tools/electronic sections are longer. I'm usually in and out of Sears with just about everything on my list in about 20 minutes. It's not anywhere near the nightmare I hear about at other stores. You get a free tool bag with a $20 tool purchase--it's a small tool bag, but the nephews LOVE getting a REAL craftsman tool bag and it doesn't cost me a dime.

My dad is a morning person. He's always up at 3 AM. Since he's retired, he spends most of his morning between Menards, Lowes, Home Depot. Just chatting it up with other retiree's and vets. I usually give him a list and he does some shopping for me--he insists that he enjoys it :) More power to him!

And, you know, I do enjoy Christmas shopping. It's the one time of year I get to actually spend money! And finding gifts for my family and friends is so much fun. Seems like all year long we are on such a tight-budget and we have to scrimp, save, compromise, etc. We have a separate Christmas savings account that is "sacred." We put money into it every week and absolutely do not touch it no matter how desperate we are. When Christmas finally comes around and I get to go out and "spoil" my kids and my family--I enjoy it. Sue me for enjoying shopping during the holiday season.

[indysteel]

When I participate in Black Friday, I usually start at Sears. They have just about everything there. And its not as popular a store as Walmart, Best Buy, etc. Plus there are multiple entrances. I arrive about 10-15 minutes before they open. If I enter at the door by the clothes, I can get right in, the line by the tools/electronic sections are longer. I'm usually in and out of Sears with just about everything on my list in about 20 minutes. It's not anywhere near the nightmare I hear about at other stores. You get a free tool bag with a $20 tool purchase--it's a small tool bag, but the nephews LOVE getting a REAL craftsman tool bag and it doesn't cost me a dime.

My dad is a morning person. He's always up at 3 AM. Since he's retired, he spends most of his morning between Menards, Lowes, Home Depot. Just chatting it up with other retiree's and vets. I usually give him a list and he does some shopping for me--he insists that he enjoys it :) More power to him!

That doesn't sound so bad. Do you live in a smaller community? Around here, it's more a mosh pit kind of a thing.

[Tri Girl]

Ugh... don't even get me started. The stupidity/insanity around Black Friday is ludicrous. Most times you can get a better deal online or by waiting until closer to the holiday.
Stores being open in Thanksgiving is unforgivable. If nobody would shop that day, they would realize that it's not a good idea. Unfortunately, people will shop and they will continue to stay open.

I used to have to work the day after Thanksgiving when I worked in retail for 10 years- I hated EVERY second of it. People are nasty and not nice and will fight over $2... the whole idea is stupid. Rant over.

[limewave]

That doesn't sound so bad. Do you live in a smaller community? Around here, it's more a mosh pit kind of a thing.

I live in a moderate size city. We have the malltropolis with a smaller size mall, Walmart, Home Depot, Menards, Target, etc all right in the same area. Trying to get to Sears is a hassle--a lot of traffic. However, most everyone is in line at Best Buy or Toys R Us . . . much smaller crowds at Sears.

[jlnc]

It depresses me to see the inevitable news clip every year of people knocking each other over to get a good deal at 3am. I think Black Friday as a concept is fine, but it has gone to the extreme.
It's unfortunate that those who work in retail can't count on Thanksgiving as a day off.
Growing up, the only thing open on Thanksgiving was the local grocery store, only for a few hours, in case someone had a Thanksgiving day emergency :) ...they usually closed by noon or 2pm as i recall.

[Brandi]

I praise those who HAVE to work on Thanksgiving day! Health worker's firefighters, people who keep our light's on and feed the homeless. But to think that people can't just stop from spending money for one day! One day! I am so glad I leave in the town I do. Though our markets are open. Hence the friend we are having for dinner who is working that day. But she does get triple the pay. And has no family here except her husband. So for her it is extra money and not such a big deal. But when I found out she was working I knew she had to come over for dinner. Besides we are not one of those eat at 3:00 thanksgiving dinner people. We have it at the normal dinner hour.
I heard last year that the sales they have after thanksgiving are not different then the rest of the holiday season.
I am always hopeful that people learned their lesson after the 2008 crash but I still see them buying crap! Why oh why?
We actually waited for our old TV to break before we got a new one. Same with our computer's. We have a computer that is 8 years old and one that is 6. I have a little lap top i bring on the road with me. We wait till things break before we replace them. Well except our car because it needs to get us were we are going without breaking. But really. Eeerrrrr sorry to rant.