This year, “Black Friday” starts earlier than ever before. Many stores have decided to open their doors for the Black Friday Sale on Thursday. Here’s a sampling:
- Walmart and Best Buy—6pm, Thursday
- Target, Staples, and Sears—8pm, Thursday
- Toys R Us—5pm, Thursday
- Kmart—6am (yes, am!), Thursday
On top of that, many of these stores have already put items on sale online as early as last Friday, November 22. That is way, way ahead of what is called “Cyber Monday” sale, which is suppo
sed to be the Monday after Thanksgiving.
When I first heard of Walmart and Best Buy’s decision to open on Thanksgiving night, I immediately thought about how the consumer mindset has reached unprecedented levels!
Consider this: For many people, Thanksgiving night is family time, a time when family members from all over the country (sometimes, the world) gather together for the Thanksgiving meal. It is a time of giving thanks for the good things one has received over the past year.
Of course, expressing gratitude for the blessings of the past year may come in different forms. There are families who choose to give thanks by extending their blessings to others—like serving in a feeding program, a Thanksgiving meal, for less fortunate souls; or volunteering at the Operation Christmas Child processing centers.
But now, less and less is Thanksgiving about family time and giving thanks. Rather, more and more it has become a time for shopping for exceptionally great deals. I think it rather sad that the stores actually expect family members to skip the Thanksgiving dinner, and be at the store, shopping for those sought-after items with special sale prices.
Many may rationalize that they can have the family dinner some other time. But that’s precisely the problem. The holiday was set specifically for celebrating one’s blessings and expressing gratitude for them. Now, the main purpose for the holiday becomes just a minor aside to the “real” event of grabbing those coveted sale items.
Don’t get me wrong. I intend to take advantage of the special sale prices myself. But will I do so in exchange for the proper celebration of Thanksgiving? No. Thanksgiving is about giving thanks, and celebrating the goodness of a God who blesses his people.
—Keith Y. Jainga