My Black Friday is all about family. I love spending time in the morning relaxing in pajamas, watching holiday television. My mom and I go out shopping with the kids while the husbands kick back and play video games. Before having our daughter, my husband and I would camp out at stores to snag the good early-morning deals. Now we go out in the afternoon after the crowds have died down and still find a fun, festive and deal-filled shopping experience where we work up an appetite for Thanksgiving leftovers.
Everything is what you make it. If you enjoy getting out and shopping, then do that. If you want to camp out, do that. If you want to stay home and bake cookies while watching Christmas movies all day, do that too. Do what makes you happy. No one is forced to shop on Black Friday. It is a choice.
I applaud businesses that want to give their employees the time off, like REI, who is actually paying its employees to stay home Black Friday, but I don’t fault people who want to get out and shop, finding the best deals for their loved ones. Being a Black Friday shopper has begun to come with a stigma that is just unfair. I understand the need to not be devoted to consumerism, but for me Black Friday is more than just spending money. When we used to do Black Friday Target campouts, it was an experience, an adventure even! We bonded over a unique shared experience as a couple. Shopping with my mom is also a time of bonding and an opportunity to catch up with each other.
Why do we shame people who want to save a few bucks? If gift giving is a part of a person’s holiday traditions, why not encourage them to research and find the best bang for their buck?
Gift giving brings me joy. I pride myself on finding the perfect gifts for everyone on my list. Everyone is entitled to their own holiday traditions. If you choose to abstain from shopping around the holidays, good for you! If shopping is part of what brings you joy this holiday season, keep on keeping on!
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