If you ever ask me what my favorite holiday is, my answer will always be Black Friday. I have always been the QUEEN of Black Friday. I know a lot of girls feel that way, but really. At 15, I had my Black Friday system down. I’d make my whole family come with me. Everyone would have a map of the store, I’d assign who was going to what department and grabbing what items and then we would have a designated meeting place. We’d get everything we’d want and be in and out of Target within 30 minutes. I’ve always loved Black Friday and the adrenaline rush that comes with it.
However, last year I had a change of heart. Last year stores went overboard and decided to open ON Thanksgiving (WTF?). But like the Black Friday Goon I was, I dipped out of my house and drove to Target at 3pm on Thanksgiving Day. I should have known, but I wasn’t the only one there. The place was packed just like every year and the retail market’s idea of slowing shopping traffic down #failed. But the fact that it was busy as normal wasn’t the thing the bothered me. It was the sight of many people being forced to work on Thanksgiving.
I’ve worked at various jobs on holidays during college. It sucks, yes, but I can’t compare it to the hell I’m sure these poor souls went through. Not only did they have to work on a holiday, but they had to work their craziest shift of the year on this day, rather than the day after. Like, it’s bad enough they have to work retail, and it’s bad enough to have to work retail on Black Friday, but do we really need to make people work Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving? What was even more heartbreaking was that these employees were chipper and nice to all the annoying ass people in line waiting to make their lives a living hell. It made me feel so guilty.
This year, I’m taking the initiative to not shop Black Friday sales. It’s only stuff right? The things I usually buy on Black Friday are things I would normally tell myself I don’t need if they weren’t on sale. It’s not worth it to make people work on a holiday. REI is taking action and remaining closed on Black Friday with their Opt Outside campaign. I hope that enough people follow suit and companies revert back to their sales starting on FRIDAY, where they belong.
