I’m not going to go into a big rant about stores being open on Thanksgiving this year. Black Thanksgiving is what it is. I know that there are people who do, in fact, benefit from being able to work on Thanksgiving. I do. I get it. I also know that there are people who have to work on Thanksgiving, regardless of their need for the money or their desire to be away from their families. And it’s not just retail outfits. Every restaurant, gas station, convenience store and yes, retail stores, that stays open on this day has employees who have to work.
I’ve worked Christmas.
I’ve worked Christmas Eve.
I’ve worked 4th of July.
I’ve worked Easter.
Halloween.
Mother’s Day. Father’s Day. St. Patrick’s Day. Black Friday. New Year’s Day. New Year’s Eve.
I think the only holiday I haven’t worked is Thanksgiving.
But my brother does. I can’t remember the last time I saw my brother on Thanksgiving. And I fucking love my brother. He’s a server and bartender. And so he works. So you can enjoy your turkey dinner without having to cook. If he were here, I’m sure he’d say, “You’re welcome.” Because he’s polite like that.
So I get it. And it makes me angry that store feel the need to open on Thanksgiving in an effort to one up each other without lowering prices anymore than they already have…
Wait. Lowering prices?
They used to do that.
If you’ve sneaked a peek at any of the ads out there, they look strikingly familiar. To just about every ad I’ve seen in the last 4 or 5 months. “Doorbusters!” with prices that make me want to stay in bed next Friday morning and snuggle with my boyfriend instead of hitting up the mall with my mom as per usual.
That’s the real reason I could care less these days. The reason I, most assuredly, won’t be trekking out away from Thanksgiving dinner to buy a TV. The deals aren’t really AMAZING worth-it-for-the-early-morning-hours deals anymore and definitely not worth-it-for-the-leaving-Thanksgiving-dinner-early-so-I-can-go-stand-in-line-in-the-cold deals. They’re just…sales. Regular. Old. Sales.
So I’ll head to my local mall on Black Friday. I’ll pick up some freebies and a few things that tickle my fancy. And then I’ll come home and work. Okay fine, and I’ll probably do some online shopping on Friday as well. But Julep has Black Friday deals too! And this doesn’t feel like the kinda day that’s even worth a vacation day. I’ll also hit up a few of my favorite local shops on Small Business Saturday, because I believe that shopping locally, even if for only part of your holiday shopping, is helpful to the small business owner. And I like to support small business owners.
Thanks to GoGoShopper.com for making this special Shopping Saturday post possible. GoGoShopper is an online deal and coupon aggregate that helps make your shopping experience a little bit less costly. Especially if you like to shop the way I like to shop. With a BUY ALL THE THINGS mentality.
18 Responses
If I were going to be here in Dubuque, I might do Black Friday and/or Small Business Saturday. But in Chicago? Pffft! I’m so spoiled now that I don’t even like braving the crowds on a regular weekend there, let alone the biggest shopping weekend of the year.
I still can’t believe my best friend and I used to go to the mall every Black Friday when we were in college. It was one of the few times a year we got to see each other, and we usually didn’t buy anything, so at least didn’t have to stand in those lines… but the crowds… *shudder*
I try to avoid the big box retailers with the massive crowds and lines. The only ridiculous line I’ll stand in is the Victoria’s Secret line, and that’s because they give away really excellent gifts.
For the past two years I worked every single Canadian stat holiday because I was working in a vegetable pack house. I will never go shopping on a stat holiday because I’ll be too busy enjoying the lovely feeling of leisure while sitting in my pj’s with a cup of coffee.
Besides, I’m one of those people who always arrives as the last “deal of the century” walks through the check out line.
That makes all the sense in the world to me! I love pjs and coffee.
I absolutely refuse to shop on Thanksgiving AND Black Friday. Cyber Monday? Meh. Just don’t care. There is nothing I need or want so bad that I have to participate in any of this shopping madness.
Understandable. It used to be super fun for me to head out at the crack of dawn to catch a sweet deal or two…and then just to get a bunch of free stuff…but now? It’s almost like there’s no point.
I’ll do all my shopping online. I’m not going to get in line with that crowd of idiots.
Smart!
Last year I ran out to Walmart Thanksgiving night because we were out of milk and my daughter has to have her milk. Anyway, it was so crowded. So crazy. So scary. I don’t think I’ll be heading out for door busters ever. My mom, sister, and I always shopped on Black Friday in the past. It was a tradition, but we haven’t done it in years. We can’t take the crowds. I mostly shop online now or make my gifts. It’s been a huge shift, but it cuts down on holiday anxiety and stress.
That sounds terrifying. I avoid Walmart like the plague in the off-holiday season. :-/
I’ve worked every daY of the year except Christmas Day back when I worked retail because we were in the same complex as a movie theatre we never closed. So frustrating. Our big shopping thing here is Boxing Day (Dec 26) but the sales start like a week in advance its not worth dealing with the crowds.
Yeah, I don’t miss working holidays.
I don’t shop on Thanksgiving. I usually eat so much I lay there like a slug. On Black Friday I actually don’t even leave the house most years, but I have done some online shopping in the past.
Bwahahahahahahahaha. I love that. We have two Thanksgiving dinners. I’m so full I can’t think by the end of the night.
I will never, ever shop on Thanksgiving. Or Christmas. I will go as far as to say everything that isn’t essential (hospitals, police, etc) should be CLOSED at least on those two holidays. My husband worked every holiday for 10 years because he was a cook. And they said work or your fired. They wouldn’t even let him switch shifts with someone else. Then he finally left there and *I* got a job where I was “essential personnel ” at a correctional facility. And I worked all the holidays. We finally have all the holidays off together. I refuse to support the restaurant and retail businesses by shopping on the holiday, because you know the employees don’t all choose to work those days, they are told they have to.
That’s awesome. I’m so thankful that I don’t have to work the big holidays. Brian gets more “holidays” off than me (like Black Friday, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve), but we still get the other holidays together.
I now avoid all holiday shopping during Thanksgiving week. It’s just not worth the hassle to save a few bucks!
True story. I didn’t go out this morning; I’m not tired; I saved a vacation day. Wins all around.