What do you associate with fistfights, crowds, hair pulling and sometimes even death? No, it’s not the premise for “Fight Club.” It’s the tradition that has become one of the biggest consumer holidays in America: Black Friday.
The term Black Friday, marking the beginning of the holiday shopping season, used to represent something entirely different. The term was first coined on Sept. 24, 1864, when gold prices plummeted and set off a stock market panic. Then it was adapted in the 1960s to describe the holiday rush at the stores. It wasn’t until later that the term was said to have come from the only time of year when stores could get in the “black” (make a profit). By the 1990s, Black Friday had become an unofficial holiday.
Every year, the deals seem to get better and better. Why not get that 72-inch LCD TV at a fraction of the cost? The lines outside of Best Buy wrap around the store, with people clutching blankets and mugs of coffee. We’ve all seen the headlines about people getting injured because they couldn’t wait to get their hands on that last covetable Tickle Me Elmo.
After the fatal trampling incident in 2008, retailers have taken notice of the potential lawsuits that Black Friday entails. In response, some safety measures include a limited number of people being allowed into the stores, color-coded wristbands that coordinate with what you want to purchase and — here’s the kicker — even starting Black Friday on Thursday.
It comes as no surprise that Walmart and Target decided it would be a great idea to manage the crowds by extending the shopping period into Thanksgiving evening, at 6 and 8 p.m. And this year many more retailers are following suit; Toys R Us is opening at 5 p.m Thursday.
Let me just extend a middle finger to the companies making their employees not only endure the awfulness that is Black Friday, but come in on Thanksgiving. As someone who works in retail and will possibly have to work on Thanksgiving, I find it not only maddening but also incredibly sad that people would come in to shop on Thanksgiving — a time that I, at least, would like to spend with my family.
So, yeah, this is a “remember what the holidays are all about” article. But really, do the rest of us a favor, and abstain from your holiday shopping — at least for a few hours.
Contact CU Independent Opinion Editor Bethany Morris at Bethany.morris@colorado.edu.
