black thursday & friday

8:57 PM

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.

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4 notes

  1. It's such a joke that so many retail stores are open on Thanksgiving!!! Do people really need to go to target and gap on thanksgiving? Really? But I do like that the bigger coffee shops and restaurants are open (as they have been since I was a kid). I like knowing that the people who don't have families to hang out with can still go out and be around other people. And we have a tradition of going to our local coffee shop on Thanksgiving and Christmas morning. I love it! Especially since we've been on our own the last several thanksgivings and haven't done the whole big dinner thing in awhile (we're having chicken tomorrow just the three of us, and this year, I'm a little sad about it). But I do appreciate that they close really early on holidays so that their employees can go home for Thanksgiving dinner if they have family nearby (and make double time at work in the morning!).

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    1. Ugh... it's the worst. Makes me so sad. That's a wonderful tradition! So glad you guys are able to make things fun! xo

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  2. AMEN SISTER!!! I am very adamant about this subject too. Thankfully when I worked in retail stores didn't open on Thanksgiving day and didn't open crazy-early on Friday either. It's so sad now. Did you know that the malls fine individual stores if they are not open when the mall is open? So even if a specific store didn't want it's employees to work the holiday they are forced to do it as not to incur a fine. It's gross really. I haven't met a single retail worker who is happy with having to work crazy hours around Thanksgiving...they want to be able to relax with their family too! And I doubt the pay is worth it...I think it's usually just a time and a half (not double-time). I don't understand the people who shop Black Friday...there aren't any deals that are offered that are better than what is normally offered online...or say the day after Black Friday! I think people just go because they can...not because they are expecting some great deal. Ok...I should probably stop my rambling...can you tell how passionate I am about this subject, haha?!

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