Black Friday Is Here

Every year I’m amazed to watch people line the doorways of places like Target, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Sears, etc.. by 5am or some other crazy time just so they can buy a TV for $50 (or some other similar “draw” item.)  Last year when the Sony Play Station 3 video game system was released, some poor guy got his bell rung (literally) when the mob trying to get into the store ran him into a light pole.  He needed surgery on his jaw just so he could be normal again.  I blogged about it a year ago and still am amazed at the lengths people will go to to acquire a “thing”.  I refuse to participate in such utter mayhem.  I guess if it’s your cup of tea and you enjoy climbing over people to get that “Dancing Elmo” doll sitting in the frozen food section because some other person had it fall out of their cart so be it.  As for me, I slept up until my regular time this morning, did some work on my weekend message, brewed up a cup of genuine Peet’s coffee, and finished reading my news online moments ago.  The kids would like to go out and shop a bit for Mom today since she’s working so perhaps we’ll do that later today.  I don’t mind going out in mid-day or even early evening after the madness has settled but still, I try not to buy into the madness and overspend.  There’s no sense buying it all on sale anyway if you’re going to pay credit card interest on your purchase right?  The interest will eat up any savings you made by buying it today.

On the other side of this discussion was a thoughtful post made by Dustin Wax at Lifehack.org.  Read his comments about “Teaching Kids Charity and Clarity” on his site.  It’s one of the best articles I’ve read on this topic in a long, long time.  Teaching kids to be sensible, giving, and learning good organizational skills in the process is a three-pronged vision of success!  Perhaps if we made this ritual an annual rite of passage, we wouldn’t have the excessiveness that so permeates the real joy of celebrating the holiday.

Have a happy Black Friday!  I’m going back for a second cup of coffee.