Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the dreaded Black Friday

To me, the Holidays (and I always spell it with a capital “H”) have always been not only about their “definition” meanings (Thanksgiving = giving thanks, etc.) but also about family, friends, fellowship…and sometimes food.  I usually think of things like, “It’ll be so good to see so-and-so again,” or something along those lines.  I think of the people who make the Holidays special.  I think back to Holidays of my childhood and my feelings there.

What doesn’t usually come to my mind are things like, “Oh, I’ve GOT to run to the store to get this almost-impossible-to-get-but-gotta-have item for so-and so!  They’ll be so impressed!” or “I’ve got to get there early so I can be the first one there!”

I think y’all can see where I’m going with this:  the dreaded BLACK FRIDAY!!!

I don’t remember, as a child, really being exposed to that kind of pre-Christmas behavior.  I DO remember stores being a lot more filled, carriages being a lot more filled, and cashier lines being a little longer, but that was about it.

The first time I remember really facing the hell that is Black Friday was 1983; the first year I worked in retail.  It was also the year that those monstrosities – Cabbage Patch Dolls – hit the major market.  They had been available before, but special order (and I believe you had to go to a special place…I don’t remember, and I don’t really care enough to research it).  However, in 1983, they hit retail, with a fury and a vengeance that was unbelievable.  I had a front-row seat to otherwise grown, sane people becoming like wild animals, quite literally fighting each other for the ugly little beasts.  There were days when a group of us were asked to come in extra-early – about 3 AM – to put shelves back up where they were torn down, pick up items that were liberally tossed onto the floor, and try to make the toy department look like a toy department and not a war zone.  I did this even though I actually worked in the automotive department; they needed that many people.

Another Black Friday I remember was a beautiful, balmy one, around 1990-ish.  My husband and I went to a toy store to just get ideas of what we wanted to get the children in our lives.  We didn’t actually purchase anything, and weren’t too upset by the rude and pushy people that were running roughshod through the aisles.  However, when we stepped out of the store and walked to the car, we saw that someone had taken some black spray paint and just went right along a row of cars that had been parked nose-to-tail and sprayed all down the sides, and this included our beautiful teal 1977 Firebird.

What is it about Black Friday that brings out the absolute worst in people?  I’m reluctant to go anywhere on this day any more, going so far as to be sure that no groceries or other important items will run short that particular day.  The last bunch of years I’ve used this day to do Christmas decorating and attempting to get into the Christmas spirit…at least until I hear on the news about the latest Black Friday atrocities which have included stabbing, shootings, pepper-sprayings and even, this past year, at least two warnings of explosive items.

To make matters worse, Black Friday has started creeping into Thanksgiving Thursday!  It used to be that the stores would open at the usual time, then it would open a few hours earlier, then we had Midnight Specials…now the insanity is encouraged as early as 10:00pm Thursday, when most people should still be digesting their wonderful meal and sharing memories – and making new ones – with families and loved-ones.

I have a kind of schedule I like to keep around these Holidays.  It begins with a wonderful Thanksgiving Eve service, which is almost always uplifting and filled with love and gratitude.  Thanksgiving Day the attitude of gratitude carries on as, before eating a nice, large meal, we share what we are thankful for.  The past meets the future as I watch the Macy’s Parade with the girls.  As previously mentioned, the next day is reserved for setting the home – and our hearts – for the Birthday of our Savior (and I know that historians point out that his actual Birthday is in the spring, so let’s just leave that alone).  The following month is usually spent loving our neighbors, friends and families, church events, and music, culminating in Christmas morning, when we sing “Happy Birthday” to the figure of Baby Jesus as he gets put in the manger of our Nativity Scene, and exchanging gifts, representing…well…birthday gifts.

I’m not saying that I absolutely don’t think of shopping.  We try to get the girls and the other children in our lives gifts that are fun and that they will enjoy, but it’s not with an attitude of trying to impress.  Thankfully, my whole family is pretty much like that as well.  I'm also not saying that I don't occasionally fall prey to the stress of "can we afford this'n'that" or "is there time?"  I can stress as well as the next person.

So, please, in the spirit of the Holidays, just keep in mind the phrase, “Peace on earth, good will to men”…and let’s try to win Thanksgiving back.