In most people’s minds here in the United States, today marks a day that represents the true beginning of the Christmas shopping season. It’s also a day that’s most known for where stores are packed beyond belief, where people get angry because of limited availability of merchandise, and where individuals spend incredible amounts of time and money trying to secure those best bargain based holiday gifts. And all of this has been nicknamed Black Friday, that in all honesty, doesn’t seem to be filled with much holiday cheer.
The origin of this day dates back to Philadelphia in the mid-1960s where it was referring to the Friday situated between two other big days for the city. The first was obviously Thanksgiving but the second, which occurred on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, was when the Army-Navy football game was held. Both generated a huge influx of people for the city which translated into massive traffic, gridlock and huge shopping crowds on the day before the game. Supposedly it was extremely frustrating for the city’s police officers, cab drivers, and anyone else who had to negotiate the city’s streets, so they started referring to this annual day of commercial bedlam as “Black Friday” to reflect how irritating it was. Apparently as the years went on though, retailers wanted the day to have a more positive spin to this nickname it had been given. So somewhere in the early 1980’s the idea of looking at the day from an accounting perspective began. This is where retailers who were in the “red” and operating at a loss would begin to turn a profit and operate in the black. Ironically, this is a myth in the commercial world though. That’s only because most major retailers are generally profitable, or at least striving for profitability, throughout the entire year. A company that turns losses for three quarters out of every fiscal year wouldn’t be a big hit with investors and probably wouldn’t make it in today’s economy.
While many believe that Black Friday represents the biggest shopping day of the year, it really isn’t. According to financial statistics, the days closest to Christmas generally are. What Black Friday does seem to represent though these days in most metropolitan areas is the busiest day for customer traffic in retail stores. I have traditionally avoided going out and doing any type of shopping on this day for this reason. Watching the news each year cover the events throughout the day always is enough to convince me that I made the best decision.
In recent years, I have seen how people have been trampled, beat up, and murdered all for the sake of getting some special deal. Stores such as Walmart will advertise they are giving away 48″ flat panel wide screen televisions for over half their cost and people will frantically try to secure one on Black Friday. Little do they know that the stores they are vying to get one at only have six of them set aside for that special deal. This usually translates into a steaming pile of anger and frustration when the customers find out, especially for those who waited in the cold and dark outside the store long before it opened. Then there’s those people who camp outside places such as Best Buy and take time off from their jobs just to be the first one to get those Black Friday deals. I read about one man who took several days without pay from his job just to do this. I find it strange that he’s still willing to do this even though he’s losing more money by not working than what he’ll be saving in his purchases on Black Friday. In fact, he’s not alone. Across the country there are many others who follow in his footsteps and camp outsider retailers for up to and sometimes even over a week, just for the sole reason of getting some great deal. Most of them will spend more time and money doing that, versus the savings they’ll end up receiving from any of their purchases on Black Friday.
Regardless of the reasons why anyone puts themselves through the highs and lows of Black Friday, I’m beginning to wonder if the driving force for each of them is ego. Isn’t the Christmas season meant to be about things such as sharing love, family, connection, and joy with each other? Unfortunately, the exact opposite seems to happen on Black Friday where people’s egos get the best of them. I’ve heard the stories from so many about the anger and rage, the rudeness, and the lack of respect that arises in people during this big shopping day. While the holiday season might involve getting gifts for loved ones, it shouldn’t be at the expense of others, but sadly, it often is on this day. Even worse, Black Friday has been slowly expanding into greater hours over the years with stores now beginning in on Thanksgiving. In my childhood, I can remember how nothing was opened on Thanksgiving except for maybe a few gas stations and a restaurant or two. That’s rapidly changing with the focus shifting away from being with family and loved ones and going towards consumer commercialism instead.
While I can’t speak for anyone else, I can for myself in saying that no gift is worth any of what Black Friday entails these days. I can’t see how pausing my life for hours, days, or weeks by waiting in lines outside stores is worth it. I can’t understand how hurting someone else on any level is worth procuring any item no matter what it is. And I definitely can’t advocate in my own life non spiritual behaviors such as pushing, shoving, yelling, screaming, or fighting for the sake of saving several hundred dollars for a gift that might not even be remembered a few years down the road.
For what began as a headache for the people in Philadelphia back in mid 1960s, Black Friday has sadly not changed much over the years, except now it’s become a headache for a lot of others throughout the entire country. So if you are going to one of those out shopping on this day, or any day for that matter this holiday season, take a moment, breathe, and pray to your Higher Power before venturing out. Don’t let your ego get the best of you and try to remember that the real meaning behind Christmas is not about securing some great deal at all costs, it’s about spreading love, hope, and joy with each other, and not anything else.
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson