Thanksgiving is coming up quickly, and families are rushing to prepare. The point of this national holiday is to give thanks and gather to eat delicious food with friends and family. Known for the delicious meals, great football, the Macy’s Parade, and of course, the National Dog Show on NBC, this holiday is sure to be a favorite.
For decades now, Thanksgiving has been drowned out by the craze of Black Friday. Black Friday used to happen around midnight all over America, but recently, it has been starting earlier. The point was for families to get a jump start on Christmas shopping and score great deals from massive department stores.
What used to be a fun experience at midnight, became an after meal treat with some major stores opening as early as 6 pm. What is the point of having Black Friday deals on Thanksgiving? People are supposed to be giving thanks to all of the things they’re lucky to have in life. Now as soon as the plate has been cleared, people are rushing to buy more things they don’t need. “Black Friday was more fun when it was actually on Friday, not Thursday. Stores open before Thanksgiving dinner is over and it ruins the point of Black Friday,” Senior Gia Eckhardt said.
You can get the same Black Friday deals without the crowds with Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. The Monday after Thanksgiving, you can get your online shopping done at a fraction of the price. In LeClaire, you can help support small businesses by “shopping small” on Saturday, November 25th from 10 AM to 5 PM. The Visit LeClaire site states, “Two Gems Boutique has holiday treats and multiple drawings all day for jewelry, gift certificates, and a variety of gift items.” Two Gems is a great shop with many Christmas gifts inside at a great price.
Don’t give into the big department store craze on Thanksgiving. Spend time with your family, like the holiday originally intended and support your local economy Saturday the 25th. Happy Holidays!
