Is Black Friday Ruining Thanksgiving?

I was watching Good Luck Charlie on the Disney channel this evening (only because I have kids, wink – wink) and one of the characters, Teddy was talking to her friend about a Black Friday sale and she said the following “All we want to do is celebrate the true meaning of Thanksgiving…buying electronics at terrific prices”.  Although I know it was meant to be funny (and it was), I get the feeling that they wouldn’t have used that line it if there weren’t some truth to it (obviously it is based on how some people act).  If that is the case, I think that is both sad and disturbing.

I am not sure how you spend your Thanksgiving Day but people usually watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, play football, share a meal with your loved ones, take naps after you eat way too much, the list goes on; but with all the obsession over Black Friday sales and stores opening up so much earlier, Thanksgiving Day seems to have taken a back seat to Black Friday.

Black Friday has long been something to look forward to.  I myself used to fall asleep (because you need your rest in order to make it) and wake up early to seek out amazing deals.  However, it never came between me enjoying Thanksgiving with my family.  I didn’t have to choose between the 2 or compromise on 1 of them. Unfortunately, that all seems to be changing.  So, I question whether or not the Black Friday Deals are really worth it.

What are you having to give up in order to take advantage of the deals? Can you put a price on it?

  • Are you going to miss dinner with your family or rush through it?
  • How early will you have to begin camping out in order to get a good place in line?
  • How many hours do you spend strategizing your shopping for that day?

What about for the employees that have to work on Thanksgiving Day or Black Friday?

  • Will they have to work on Thanksgiving Day and miss out on quality time and/or dinner with their loved ones in order to prepare for the Black Friday Crowd?
  • How Early do they have to arrive on Black Friday?  If it’s really early does that mean they had to go to sleep extra early (which still cuts into their family time) or go to sleep exhausted because they chose to stay up late in order to not miss out?

With Cyber Monday, is Black Friday worth it????  If you choose to shop on Cyber Monday, you can

  • Shop for great deals without leaving your home
  • Avoid driving around in circles to find parking
  • Avoid waiting in line both to get in the store and at the register
  • Avoid having to fight through a crowd
  • Enjoy Thanksgiving with your loved ones)  I ask,

I enjoy getting a good deal, trust me I do BUT I still don’t think those deals are worth all that one has to give up in order to Save Money on items that will only lose value.  Cherished memories are invaluable.

What are your thoughts?  Will you be shopping on Black Friday and/or Cyber Monday?  I would love to get your feedback.