After giving thanks, people crowd stores to take advantage of Black Friday sales
The turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce are still on the dinner table, but lines are already wrapped around retail stores across America.
Folks are getting a head start on holiday shopping deals in lieu of after-dinner conversation.
Stores used to open during regular hours on Black Friday, but as the years have gone by, stores have started to open earlier and earlier, extending the holiday shopping madness.
The fierce competition between stores has caused Black Friday shopping to begin on Thursday — on Thanksgiving.
“In retail, Thanksgiving day has become known as ‘gray Thursday,’’ said USFSP senior Brigitte Toulon. She has worked in retail for the past four years, but refuses to work on the holiday.
“I find it disgusting that stores now open up on Thanksgiving,” Toulon said. “It’s an unspoken rule within retail that everyone works Black Friday, but I think it’s despicable to ask employees to cut their family time short just so stores can open a few hours sooner.”
During her time in retail, Toulon has developed an aversion to the holiday shopping hype. She compares fellow retail employees to gazelles and customers to lions, eager to pounce on and attack the helpless employees.
“Before I started working retail, I wholeheartedly believed in Black Friday. I was all about it. Here’s the thing: I would go out at 6 a.m., meaning that it’s already Friday. I didn’t go out on Thursday.”
Not everyone who works in retail shares her view of the holiday shopping extravaganza. USFSP junior Rachel Erickson also works in retail, but holds a more moderate position on the topic.
“I just think it’s important for people to know that working on Thanksgiving does mean giving up time with family. So, just be nice and respectful to us. We are working so you can make other people happy,” Erickson said. “The holiday time is supposed to be about being nice to one another, not getting upset at employees if we don’t have something in stock, or it’s not the sale they thought it was going to be.”
She has many fond memories of shopping with friends and family on Black Friday and continues to do so, even after her experience working in retail.
“It’s just so fun for me and my mom to go out on Black Friday. We’ve been going shopping since I was about 12. We always have a game plan and know what we are getting and where,” Erickson said. “The rush as a retail employee is just as fun in my opinion. Seeing everyone out buying for family and loved ones is a great experience and there’s never a dull moment.”
Whether or not to “feed the beast” by shopping on Thanksgiving or Black Friday remains to be a touchy subject for those in the business.
But regardless of where retail employees stand on the holiday shopping madness, they agree that shoppers should be kind to those who are working.
“Think of your significant other, your child, your mother, your father,” Toulon said.
“Would you want them to be yelled at or harassed? No. Then don’t do that to those of us working on Black Friday. We’re human too.”
