The day
after Thanksgiving has become America’s wildest shopping day. Closed all day on
Thursday, chain stores all across the nation open early on Friday. Some stores
open at 12:01 Friday morning, while others open at 4 a.m. Some “sleepyhead”
stores, like Target this year, don’t open their doors on Friday until 6 a.m.
From Friday to the day before Christmas, this is the season when businesses make
as much as 25 percent of their annual revenue. This season puts many businesses
“in the black” that is, into profitability for the year.
Reporters
from local TV stations interview people who camp out in front of stores a day or
two before the doors open on Friday. These people patiently wait in line to get
products that are discounted 50 percent or more.
“Oh, we
have fun,” said one camper. “We bring games to play, we watch TV and order lots
of pizza, and we meet interesting people. And, most important of all, we save
big bucks!” The catch, of course, is that only a very small number of products
are available at the largest discounts. Regardless, each store has plenty of
other items that are reduced from 10 to 50 percent—saving shoppers from $10 to
$400 per item—to entice Americans to shop.
Not all
Americans appreciate this frenzy of shopping. Reverend William Graham, pastor of
the Church of the Risen Jesus, wants to rename Black Friday. “We want to call it
Remember Jesus Friday. People should start the season with the right attitude.
Christmastime has become a Season of Shopping. We want to make it a Season of
Giving. And we don’t mean giving IPods, DVDs, flat screen TVs, and other crap.
We mean giving your back, your mind, and your hands. Help an old lady clean up
her house. Teach a kid how to read. Visit sick people in the hospital or in
nursing homes. Pick up the trash in your neighborhood. Give blood to the Red
Cross. Do volunteer work for charities. Celebrate Christmas by remembering Jesus
and forgetting Santa Claus.”
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