I Just Don't Get It!

I just don’t get it!  I just don’t get the seemingly magical attraction of Black Friday.  You know, Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year.  The day most every retail vendor offers “outrageous” deals on their goods and wares.  I just don’t get it.  I don’t understand the attraction or the appeal of getting up (or not going to bed), arriving at the store hours before it opens, and then pushing your way through a crowd of people to get one of the few actual items that are available.  I just don’t get it. I don’t understand the appeal of getting pepper-sprayed by another shopper, or getting shot in the parking lot because someone else wanted what you managed to purchase during your adventure (that really happened this year - LA Times Article).  I just don’t get it.

The retail world has certainly capitalized on our desire to have things.  Our favorite vendors start “leaking” their ads to dedicated Black Friday websites in October, and by the time turkey day arrives, the public is hyped for whatever is out there.  This year, there were several last minute changes as to when some stores would open.  As if it wasn’t bad enough that stores were opening at 4am, this year one major chain decided to open at midnight.  This of course prompted an aggressive response by another major chain that decided to open at 10pm ON Thanksgiving.  I just don’t get it.

And what about Thanksgiving?  Is it even still a holiday?  Our local chain stores in Seattle established a Christmas aisle before Halloween even arrived.  Once Halloween passed, a full-blown section of the store was established just for Christmas.  Most of November seemed to be dedicated to promoting Black Friday, which ultimately promotes the retail aspect of Christmas.  Did people actually stop to be thankful for what they have, or was their focus already on the best deals for Christmas.  Maybe thanksgiving is for “carbo-loading” before the big event.  The way this Black Friday has unfolded certainly caused me to wonder.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop with Black Friday.  With the rise of e-commerce, now there is cyber-Monday; and just the other day I heard a radio advertisement for small-business Saturday.  It was, of course, sponsored by American Express.  Now, I’m not exactly a scrooge when it comes to the retail emphasis surrounding this time of year, but I am incredibly bothered by it. I am bothered by the busyness that has inundated the Christmas season; and I am bothered by the emphasis on things – especially during challenging economic times.

This year, I am making a conscious choice to simplify and focus on celebrating the birth of Christ, time with family, conservative spending.  I realize this may not be easy for some.  It certainly didn’t happen overnight for me, but has taken a “season” of growth to realize the importance of simplification.

Will you join me in recapturing the true wonder and meaning of Christmas?  If you do, you may discover this will be the best Christmas you have ever experienced.

Until next time…

David