It is very sad that shopping has taken away the family aspect of Thanksgiving. My memories, as a child, was one of anticipation and a grumbling stomach as so many good smells scented our home. There were neat things like vegetable trays to snack on and calls to the kitchen to taste this, that, or the other to assure my mother it was wonderfully good and can we eat now? Dinner was sort of scheduled but we gathered to eat whenever it was done as a bit more waiting only made the final attack on the turkey all the more tasty.
This year, instead of good thoughts about the Thanksgiving traditions, the stores blasted our televisions and radios with ad after ad about the pre-bargains to be had the day before Black Friday. Wait! The day before Black Friday shopping is . . . Thanksgiving!
I have never joined in the Black Friday frenzy of shopping. There is nothing on earth that would make me want to stand in line with hundreds of other people in hopes of being one of the few that would actually snag one of the great deals. Also, the thought of being pushed, shoved, or even seriously hurt by adamant shoppers dissolved any possibility of allure to the venture.
I just watched some videos of pre-Black Friday and Black Friday shopping mobs. It reminded me of a pack of wild animals snapping and tearing at whatever they could reach. There were injuries at some shopping areas. In our own city, a police officer broke his hand trying to calm down a guy randomly attacking people. What a contrast to years gone by when families gathered in their homes, shared an especially wonderful meal, and made memories.
One year, my daughter and I ventured out on Black Friday around ten in the morning when most of the drama was over. We went to a local Wal-Mart and it was like entering a battlefield after the war. Clothing and other items were almost knee-deep in places. We saw about 30 shopping carts lined up and filled with discards employees had already gathered and were trying to either put back on the shelves or discard due to damage. There were still people 'shopping'. One woman, who should have been old enough to have known better, was systematically opening perfume/bath sets, taking a sniff, and tossing them on the floor. Unwanted shirts and sweaters were still being tossed down on the floor. Harried employees, looking grim, were running around trying to make a difference. They were dealing with humans who decided to be animals set on destruction. A very sad commentary on the human race.
With all the security, we figured things would calm down sooner . . . and it had. The store we went to around eleven on Black Friday was already back in order. What was amazing that without the shouting, screaming, or crowds, we found everything on our list (not based on sales but our own list of gift needs) and checked out and were on our way home in about 30 minutes. We got good deals and no turmoil. Was there really anything on sale that was worth the meanness and bad manners exhibited by the early shoppers?
