MovieChat Forums > General Discussion > The "Black Friday" rubbish continues

The "Black Friday" rubbish continues

posted 4 years ago by SaveTheSeason (388)
74 replies | jump to latest

There's a pandemic going on but you would never know it, judging by the increasing number of pop-up ads (even right here on MovieChat) for this "Black Friday" garbage. These ads first started showing up a couple of weeks before Halloween. I posted this message last year, and unfortunately it's just as relevant today as it was then.

It's called the DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING. There is no such day as "Black Friday." This is nothing but industry jargon that originated with the American department stores, from the accounting phrase "in the black," or turning a profit. So it basically means "Profit Friday" or "Money Friday," which is not why we have holidays. The holiday season is a time to take a break from the daily grind and enjoy some much-needed time off. It's not a time to shove and trample one another over some shoddy imported junk merchandise.

We've been bombarded with this nonsense ever since the minute Halloween ended. It's everywhere: on TV, the radio, in the print media, and on the Internet. You can't even watch a hockey game without hearing about this garbage.

We need to take back the holiday season. There are so few holidays left. Remember when New Year's Day, Easter and July 4th were actual holidays? One by one they have become ordinary weekdays with business as usual. Thanksgiving Day is becoming the latest casualty. Soon it will be nothing more than a fancy marking on the calendar.

The term "Black Friday" needs to be removed from the lexicon. A good start is to refer to the day following Thanksgiving as simply the DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING, as was always done in the past. A store is simply conducting an AFTER THANKSGIVING SALE, and it's not some earth-shaking event. It's just another sale, and not a very good one either. There are many sales being held throughout the year that offer much better savings than this one. So why destroy the Thanksgiving weekend?

It's a shame that this nonsense has now crossed the border into Canada, and also to some European countries that have no Thanksgiving holiday. It appears no one is safe any longer from this pestilence.

Save the holiday season before it's lost forever.

[–] lankyrogerbert (0) 4 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Keelai (36138) 4 years ago

Normally, I agree 100% especially when they start pushing Christmas shopping before Halloween. This year, I'll be more forgiving because so many businesses were hurt especially small ones.

During Christmas season in my area, there is a push to support small businesses by shopping with them.

[–] 102000 (6349) 4 years ago

I'm doing the same. Yesterday I bought some cut holiday greenery for my outside door from a small independent outdoor market I go to rather than Kroger.

And those of us who can definitely need to get to out there and spend a little extra this year to help out.

[–] SaveTheSeason (388) 4 years ago

I'm all in favor of supporting small businesses year-round. Also, watch for deals and sales throughout the year and take advantage of those opportunities to purchase items you know someone would enjoy as a gift. You can store these away until December, and have the majority of your holiday shopping done before Halloween.

If people would plan ahead there would be no need to ruin the Thanksgiving weekend.

[–] 102000 (6349) 4 years ago

Look, I know we disagree, but I honestly don't understand how what other's do affects your enjoyment of any holiday.

Nobody is making you go out and shop or listen to holiday music before Thanksgiving is over. I can stay home, watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, enjoy non stop football and never have any exposure to what is happening outside of my house. Why can't you do the same?

[–] SaveTheSeason (388) 4 years ago

No, I would never participate in any of this nonsense. But that doesn't mean I'm not affected by it.

One example: We had to reschedule Thanksgiving dinner because a family member worked at a local supermarket which had recently decided that they should be open on the holiday. This market had been around for decades and had never done such a thing. Being open on Thanksgiving Day was totally inconceivable up until then. This was not long after Macy's had pushed to have their stores open on Thanksgiving and of course the other major retailers had to follow suit. Then some restaurants felt they had to jump on the bandwagon, knowing that the maniac shoppers would have worked up an appetite after a day of craziness. It's the ripple effect.

You mentioned the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I could never understand why Macy's would try to destroy the holiday associated with their name.

"Nobody is making you go out and shop or listen to holiday music before Thanksgiving is over."

Seriously? It's unavoidable. I limit my shopping this time of year to absolute essentials only, yet am still subjected to the music and decorations which are put up way too early. If they were truly celebrating a family holiday I wouldn't mind so much. But it's all about money and commercialism, and these actions are a form of subliminal messaging telling people "Christmas" means materialism.

If I stay home I still can't avoid it. I've been hearing about this "Black Friday" garbage since October. The minute Halloween ends, the barrage begins on the radio, TV, in the print media and here on the Internet. The auto manufacturers use the term for their November "sales events." You can't watch sports or even the news in peace.

The holiday season, which I define as kicking off with Halloween and ending with New Years Day, is my favorite time of year. I hate seeing it ruined by greed and animalistic behavior.

[–] 102000 (6349) 4 years ago

Well, sounds like you have a problem if you really can't disassoiate yourself from what happens over the holidays in stores, TV, radio, etc.

It's pretty apparent the real problem is you don't particularly like capitalism.

Happy Thanksgiving.

[–] SaveTheSeason (388) 4 years ago

How can I disassociate myself when there's this constant barrage everywhere? I would need to leave the TV and radio off and not log on to the Internet until December 1st. I suppose I could just watch DVDs until then.

And you are partially correct. I don't like capitalism that is corporate-dominated. I believe in a free-market, supply-and-demand-based economy. I've explained this in an earlier post, so I'm not going to rehash it here.

And Happy Thanksgiving to you. Enjoy the DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING, too.

[–] NotoriousRio (12927) 3 years ago

Same shit, different year.

[–] mikethemartian (6996) 3 years ago

We interrupt this thread for an important announcement:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjQKFoUdk4g

[–] ShogunofYonkers (78558) 3 years ago

I would shop there!
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