Black Friday: What are the limits?

The term Black Friday was first used in the United States to describe a financial crisis in 1869. On Sept. 24, 1869, a Friday, James Fish and Jay Gould tried to take over the gold market in the New York Gold Exchange. The first time Black Friday referred to shopping the day after Thanksgiving was in a 1961 Philadelphia public relations newsletter. Black friday has continuously been the busiest shopping day since 2005. Year after year companies and businesses try and push Black friday closer to thanksgiving, rallying up willing shoppers who love a good discount. Hyped up deals and, sometimes even violent, shopping after a day of focusing on what we should be thankful for, Inevitably calls for a controversial public holiday. When Black friday is pushed so close to thanksgiving, this calls for workers to spend their holiday aiding to frugal shoppers. Family members wipe off their mouths after reciting around the table what they are thankful for and jump up from the thanksgiving table to head to their favorite stores. Some might argue the lines aren’t worth the deal. For the first time, I decided to see what the hype was with black friday, and I was very disappointed. I ventured to Bath and Bodyworks, Best Buy, Old Navy, and Kohls. Now you may be thinking “Well of course THOSE places were crowded”, but keep in mind that these deals were up to 80 percent off; That is a crazy good deal! As I grabbed as much stuff my arms could hold, I turned around to see lines that crushed my discount-crazed dreams into a million pieces. I am almost sure that by the time I would have gotten to the register, I could have sewn the clothes myself. Remember this holiday season to spend less time worrying about expensive gifts and more time serving and spending time with those you love.