By: Kurana Doobay
As Americans, on the third Thursday of November each year, we dedicate an entire day to being thankful for the people we love and the things we appreciate most in our lives. We all love our families, friends and pets. We are all grateful for our access to clean drinking water, having comfortable housing and the privilege to be receiving a higher education. And of course, even if we don’t want to outright admit it, we are thankful for our access to the internet.
We say Happy Thanksgiving, and then eat the best meal we’ll have all year.
Just a few short hours after the big turkey dinners, it’s time to use the fuel of our meal for doorbuster deals and 25 percent, 50 percent, even 80 percent off sales from our favorite brick and mortar stores. I’m talking about Black Friday, of course!
Buying more things on Black Friday only gives me more things to be thankful for through the rest of the year, that way, the thankful-ness of Thanksgiving doesn’t have to end there. Also, it’s just fun! There’s a kind of thrill in the stuffy air of a mall on the morning of Black Friday that is unmatched; even the crispness of a new winter’s breeze doesn’t match up.
Yes, I’m this passionate about shopping. I will never have enough lip glosses or too many cardigans. As long as there are things to buy, I’ll be there to buy them. I’ll take any chance to spend money, because after all, it’s mine! That’s the great thing about being an adult. Nobody can tell me what to do with the money I make. Black Friday provides a kind of environment that only people who enjoy shopping can appreciate. It is truly a rush. I mean, it could be worse… I could be spending thousands of dollars on gambling or something, but I’m just buying three sweaters to get a pair of sweatpants for free, or two new tubes of my favorite mascara to get a free lip-gloss, or 50 percent off a cute throw blanket when I buy a set of Christmas themed sheets… those are things I absolutely need.
And sure, I could get good deals during other major shopping holidays. I could take advantage of the Memorial Day beginning of summer sales and the Labor Day end of summer sales, or even the random President’s Day discounts, and trust me, I do. So why would I miss out on Black Friday? It’s almost like I’m my own Santa Claus.
I know Black Friday isn’t a real holiday; it’s simply the day after Thanksgiving dedicated to taking a trip to the mall with a million other people who are practically fighting with you to get the last pair of jeans in your size, but it’s so deeply embedded into our capitalist society, and it isn’t going anywhere. So really, it would be absolutely foolish of me to not take advantage of some savings. It’s a capitalist holiday, but this isn’t about capitalism, this is about me.
Retail therapy is the best therapy. I’ll never register for a 9 am class because I could never tolerate being up that early, but I will surely be seeing you at the mall right when the doors open for Black Friday early-bird specials! I’ll be right behind everyone else who falls into the glorious trap of getting a free tote bag with a purchase of $75 (while supplies last). Although, with inflation, I might just have to spend a bit more.