Out of the black

Watching football with my family on Thanksgiving, I noticed that a large portion of black Friday commercials indicated that they were to start Thursday night. The holiday already gets the short end of the stick with Christmas decorations and music starting on the first of November, now we can’t even have a full day dedicated to being thankful for the things we have in life.

When did saving a few extra dollars start to take precedence over spending time with family?

People always complain that time is going too fast, and this is probably one of the reasons why. Our culture makes it nearly impossible to savor a moment without worrying about what’s next. The reason black Friday exists and keeps getting bumped up? Because our society buys into it. We have the power to stop the shopping creep.

You know what’s even better than the deals on black Friday? The whole concept of cyber Monday. No crowds, no lines, lots of deals and all around much more enjoyable. There are always promo codes, so there’s very rarely payment for shipping. It’s the route to take for Christmas shopping.

I just don’t understand the appeal of trudging through a Toys ‘R’ Us on Thanksgiving night. Everyone’s running around and throwing bows trying to get the hot, new toy before it runs out. But, the wonderful thing about doing your shopping online is that you can do it leisurely and said toy can be shipped from anywhere in the country.

I think the world would be a much better place if black Friday could just be done away with. What did Thanksgiving ever do to deserve anything less than your undivided attention? If you’re so thankful for your family, spend the time with them and worry about Christmas when Thanksgiving’s over.