I didn't have a post planned for today but then again I have been thinking a lot about this subject for the past couple of weeks. We've heard it all regarding what I'm deeming "black thursday" at this point, from both sides. I don't want to get into all the million of reasons why it's probably somewhat heartless to give business to stores open on thanksgiving. All I will say is that I've worked retail myself before, I've worked on black friday and let me tell you it sure is BLACK. It's been a few years since that experience so I suppose I forgot just how much it sucks.
Today we ran into Target to pick up a sippy cup for Birdie because we left her favorite one at a restaurant (sad trombone). While there I couldn't help but notice how exhausted and just plain sad all the employees looked and this is at Target that happens to have some of the friendliest check out people, normally (in my opinion). Then we got to talking to one of them. She wasn't even complaining really, she was being very sweet but there was a feeling of devastation laced into every sentence. She just shrugged her shoulders at the end and said "I have to be here if I still want to have a job come Saturday."
You can talk about politics and business and whether or not they want it or don't. You can claim that this is what happens when you work in retail. But why not just forget all of that and say "hey we're all just a bunch of humans who, as silly as it may sound to some, want to once a year sit down at a table with people they will mostly likely get into fights with, eat some good (and occasionally not good) food and take a nap." This isn't life and death, I know, but holidays I think are God's way of reminding us adults that there's still some of that childish magic left in the world. It's these days that make all the mondays, the late nights, the routines, early mornings and endless work seem worth it after all.
So I suppose all I want to say is let's all come together to stop this madness. Black friday is bad enough, it's unbelievable to think that it is now taking over thanksgiving. So please, tomorrow, just stay home with your family, stuff yourself silly on home cooked food and watch a movie (or a football game). Stay out of the stores so that we can prove that things aren't everything and no matter how great of deals the stores claim to be having no tv or microwave is worth family time.