Sasha Hakimian
Writer '18
Spending your Thanksgiving outside of a Walmart should not be an annual tradition. Every year, we see the Black Friday sales begin earlier and earlier in the day, eating away at the precious time we have set aside for spending with family. People line up outside retail stores in hopes of buying products for slightly greater than normal discounts. This is not the Thanksgiving spirit. We should not be waiting in the cold for a chance to fight over a discounted gaming console. We should not be camping outside a store for three hours in an attempt to nap a new waffle iron. We should not be running through sliding doors to try and grab a priced down dress shirt. We should be spending our time around a fire with our close family, smiles on our faces, turkey in our stomachs, and blankets on our shoulders.
Black Friday Sales take away from the long lasting Thanksgiving tradition of spending time with family. For many people, Thanksgiving is their only chance to see their distant family during the year. For college students, it is their only chance to see their family during the first semester. The holiday is a family’s time to recuperate and bond over the events that happen in their lives. By having Black Friday sales that start mid-day on Thursday, families are separated or Thanksgivings are rushed in an attempt to catch the best deals.
These deals should not take precedence over family time. If Black Friday deals start later, then families will have the chance to acquire deals on products and have ample time for bonding. Another alternative is for stores to digress from having in store deals and make an effort to offer online deals. This gives shoppers the best of both worlds. They will be able to have a meaningful Thanksgiving and shop for products without leaving friends and family. Additionally, businesses can remove their Black Friday sales entirely and take an approach of offering all their holiday sales on Cyber Monday. By doing so, spenders are gaining the benefit of not having to constantly check their phones during Thanksgiving dinner and are able to be entirely dedicated to enjoy their family’s company.
In summation, early starting Black Friday sales detract from family communication and bonding and instill a sense of worry over finding the best deals. If businesses transition toward later sales or eliminating sales all together, then these family values will not be lost.
Writer '18
Spending your Thanksgiving outside of a Walmart should not be an annual tradition. Every year, we see the Black Friday sales begin earlier and earlier in the day, eating away at the precious time we have set aside for spending with family. People line up outside retail stores in hopes of buying products for slightly greater than normal discounts. This is not the Thanksgiving spirit. We should not be waiting in the cold for a chance to fight over a discounted gaming console. We should not be camping outside a store for three hours in an attempt to nap a new waffle iron. We should not be running through sliding doors to try and grab a priced down dress shirt. We should be spending our time around a fire with our close family, smiles on our faces, turkey in our stomachs, and blankets on our shoulders.
Black Friday Sales take away from the long lasting Thanksgiving tradition of spending time with family. For many people, Thanksgiving is their only chance to see their distant family during the year. For college students, it is their only chance to see their family during the first semester. The holiday is a family’s time to recuperate and bond over the events that happen in their lives. By having Black Friday sales that start mid-day on Thursday, families are separated or Thanksgivings are rushed in an attempt to catch the best deals.
These deals should not take precedence over family time. If Black Friday deals start later, then families will have the chance to acquire deals on products and have ample time for bonding. Another alternative is for stores to digress from having in store deals and make an effort to offer online deals. This gives shoppers the best of both worlds. They will be able to have a meaningful Thanksgiving and shop for products without leaving friends and family. Additionally, businesses can remove their Black Friday sales entirely and take an approach of offering all their holiday sales on Cyber Monday. By doing so, spenders are gaining the benefit of not having to constantly check their phones during Thanksgiving dinner and are able to be entirely dedicated to enjoy their family’s company.
In summation, early starting Black Friday sales detract from family communication and bonding and instill a sense of worry over finding the best deals. If businesses transition toward later sales or eliminating sales all together, then these family values will not be lost.