I find it hard to digest the melee that is Black Friday.
The people in the above video are after waffle irons. Waffle irons!? And one woman even appears to be losing her pants in the chaos.
I see the news coverage of stampedes, fights, violence, people getting trampled, and the people who have camped out in front of stores for weeks, and I think, “SERIOUSLY?”
I don’t get it. I don’t. There is nothing in this world I need so badly that I’m willing to get involved in the insanity that is Black Friday. I stay home. I don’t go out. If I’m desperate to shop on that day, I’ll do it online.
Members of my family brave the madness, though. Friends do it. They head out at midnight or the wee hours of the morn to get in line and wait…and hope they’ll beat the crowd to whatever deal is their goal. I’ve heard of people who get entire families involved, preparing a strategy to race through the stores at insane hours of the night in order to snag the best deals.
I’m all about saving money, of course. There’s nothing I love more than a good deal, but I’m not willing to risk my life for it.
I think the thing that bothers me the most about Black Friday is that there are too many opportunities for greed to rear it’s ugly head. And more often than not, it does. And those are the stories that make the news. And it comes one day after we sit around our tables and thank God for our many blessings.
But now some people aren’t even doing that. As my husband pointed out, some people are skipping Thanksgiving all together to get in line at the store to be one of the first to get a deal.
I’m going to say it–there’s something wrong with that.
When a woman feels the need to pepper spray people because they cut in line in front of her (or for whatever reason), something is wrong. A friend of mine got a waffle iron snatched from her hand at a WalMart at midnight. Really–who needs a waffle iron so badly that they need to snatch it from someone? And what about the shooting that took place outside of a WalMart when some folks got into a fight? (What is it about WalMart…?)
And as the video above showed, it gets U.G.L.Y. out there on Black Friday.
And I can’t support that. I don’t want to be a part of it.
I do realize that not all people who venture out on Black Friday are insane, but it certainly appears that there are plenty of looney-tunes out there… at least evidenced by the horror stories. And those few, isolated incidents are enough to sour me on the entire “experience.”
Black Friday, appropriately named, makes me sad/scared/leery of elements of humanity. I don’t like what it’s become or what it represents. I can only imagine what people in 3rd world countries, if they had access to TV coverage of Black Friday, would think about seeing a crowd of people fight over waffle irons.
I think the beauty of thanking God for his many blessings on Thursday is being overshadowed by the greed that is Black Friday.
Share with Me: What do you think? Do you venture out on Black Friday? Have any stories to share about your shopping experience? Were you able to score any deals and remain unscathed?
Hale and Hearty Words 
Oh mercy, I definitely do NOT venture out on Black Friday. And I agree…I couldn't believe how early some of the sales started this year. The only thing I can see that makes sense is that people are hard-strapped for cash these days, and like it or not, they're trying to save a buck wherever they can. But that still doesn't justify two-year-old behavior. 🙂
I am not a Black Friday person. My husband is not a Black Friday person. But my husband earned Husband of the Year honors a few days ago when he ventured out at 5 a.m. into the madness of Black Friday to purchase the printer I needed. His take? "I'm getting up early already to meet a friend for breakfast. I'll just get up earlier and go buy your printer."What a guy!
Agree. Agree. Agree. I do know perfectly sane people who go out at midnight and come home with their Christmas shopping done and are able to give some nice gifts. But it's difficult for me to imagine what would compel me to go into a store on Black Friday. The need for stuff creeps me out a little.
I stay in. Basically because I despise shopping. I'd rather pluck my eyelashes out. Seriously. So the idea of shopping with a bunch of crazies is like….the epitome of torture.
Rather than participating in Black Friday this year, I've decided to try and do my part on Cyber Monday, even writing a post on deals that benefit charities… http://journeytoepiphany.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/cyber-monday-shopping-with-a-cause/
Rather than participating in Black Friday this year, I've decided to try and do my part on Cyber Monday, even writing a post on deals that benefit charities… http://journeytoepiphany.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/cyber-monday-shopping-with-a-cause/
No freaking way do I go out on Black Friday! But if I did, I'd be the one snapping that video and then posting it all over the internet to tell people to "WAKE UP!! Is this really how you want to be seen?"
LOL, I agree with you. It is sad to see the greed that accompanies Black Friday. But I do Black Friday. It isn't usually nearly as bad as they show on TV and I am always impressed with how courteous people can be in such crowded places with such stressful shopping.I have seen moments when things get crazy (yes, someone stole my cart when my back was turned this year) but I for the most part things are fine and most people are smiling.I pray they get BF out of Thanksgiving though. I will not play the BF game if it is on Thanksgiving next year.
Lordy, Black Friday? Not me! Well, the hubby and I did go to Home Depot later in the day and it was pretty normal. But all those lines, and all those aggressive shoppers, not my cup of tea. But my sis-in-law and mother-in-law are those die hard all nighters. Different breed, I suppose. And I heard that waffle iron lady on the radio… wow!