BLACK FRIDAY

Can anyone guess why this day is so named?

Why is it that this one day not only gives business owners shivers of fear mingled with shivers of anticipation?

What's so special about THIS Friday compared with all of the rest?

I've got the info, and I'll share.

Let's see..

First off, for most businesses, Black Friday means that they'll do anywhere from 10-25% of their total sales FOR THE YEAR on this ONE day.

Yup. Nearly a full quarter of their sales will be done on this day.

But I don't think that's the reason it got the name.

I personally feel that it got the name because of something more sinister.

Let's explore this, shall we?

First off, it comes in the middle of a holiday series that is supposed to be full of thanks, love, cheer, family, and basically Peace on Earth.

However, it generates ANYTHING but those feelings.

I mean, we've all heard the horror stories about grown people fighting over the last toy on the shelf at a store. We've heard about the looting that's gone on at a store that didn't quite open at the time it advertised.

If anything, Black Friday represents everything that ISN'T about the holiday spirit.

It's for the selfish, the obsessive, the rude, and material.

I often wonder how much better we'd be if we were to FORCE businesses to stay closed for an extended weekend, instead of opening their doors for mass mayhem the day after we are supposed to be giving thanks for everything that we hold dear.

To put the icing on the cake, I've found that some stores are now fostering an even new depth to the buying frenzy depravity:

They're opening on Thanksgiving, and staying open all night. That way, when the magical hour approaches the next day, you can already have your cart(s) loaded, and ready to check out.

Yup.

You read it right.

So, not only do we cut our day of giving thanks short, but we're now staying open so that folks can jostle, argue, and basically fight for their buying deals well in advance!

Is this a great country or what?

I'm going to try to see if I can't open myself up a gun store. I'm going to put everything on sale, and stay open the entire week of Thanksgiving. If the amount of shooting crimes increases because of my sales, well, I'm just the clerk. I don't tell the folks what to do with their guns once they leave my store, now do I?

But it might cull the selfish crowd down a bit.

You've always got to look for the silver lining!

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.

Personally, I'm going to try to survive this day, and look back and wonder what else we can do to shorten Thanksgiving next year.

Happy Holidays!!