Black Friday

Those that doubt that we're living in the most consumer-driving culture in history need look no further than Black Friday. Black Friday is the day when millions of Americans begin the ever expansive process of getting ready for Christmas.

No, Black Friday isn't about preparing your hearts for the season, decorating the house, or even making holiday plans. It's about spending money you don't have to buy tons of things people don't need all in the name of tradition. Now, it might sound like I'm down on the whole thing, which is somewhat true, but like many others I was out there in the cold early morning hours shopping.

I first started waking up at the crack of dawn — or rather before dawn was ready to begin — a few years ago. Looking in the enormous amount of circulars that accompany the Thanksgiving day paper, I saw some cool deals and thought, why not? I was totally unprepared for the kind of chaos I was about to embrace.

Each year since, though I've gone, I've dreaded it more and more. And each year since, it seems the sales have gotten bigger and earlier. Take Wal-Mart, for example. A couple years ago, someone got trampled to death trying to get in for a Black Friday sale. (Having seen the line two years ago in Paso Robles, I can believe it). So Wal-Mart crafted a solution, it stays open 24-hours on Thanksgiving so people can roam the aisles for hours scouting what they want to pounce on when the sale begins.

This year Kohl's started its holiday sale at 3 a.m. Target joined the fray at 4 a.m., and many other retailers followed suit, opening between 4 and 6 a.m. While shopping yesterday, we talked to one clerk at Kohl's who arrived for her shift at 2:45 a.m. that day and was set to go until about 1 p.m. CRAZY!

And even if you get up at the crack of dawn, you're not assured of success. I heard about one woman who got to Target at 2 a.m. to stand in line only to see them run out of merchandise before she got in. That's the other sneaky part of Black Friday — limited quantities. The best items go quickly because there are only a few, but the hope is if you got up early and stood in line you'll settle for some other stuff rather than leave empty handed. And, you know what, most of the time it works.

While in SLO yesterday, I noticed the city attracted more street musicians than the French Quarter, all hoping to cash in on the "busiest shopping day of the year." And have you noticed that almost everyone out at those sales is grumpy.... no surprise given the lack of sleep, lack of supplies, and crowded conditions.

While I like getting deals as much as the next person, it's kind of sad to think that this is what Thanksgiving weekend has been reduced to — a consumer grab leading up to one of our most (over) commercialized holidays.

Thanksgiving should be a time for counting our blessings and taking stock of all that's good in our lives. Christmas, similarly, should be about the birth of our savior, not about who gets the most cool new gadgets. Too bad our culture doesn't see it that way.