Black Friday: An American “holiday” of sorts which takes place the day after Thanksgiving every year. A day which is considered the first day of Christmas shopping, for which many (if not all), retailers offer phenomenal deals and/or discounts. Many Americans celebrate this day by spending their time shopping at their favorite stores, taking advantage of the discounts offered. Others, more hardcore shoppers, start the holiday the night of Thanksgiving by camping outside of their favorite stores, and lying in wait for their selected store to open. There are a few issues, however, with the Black Friday tradition. The first being many shoppers become very aggressive on this day to buy their Christmas gifts, and it is very hard to get anything anywhere without stooping to their level of aggression. Another flaw, as junior Savannah Snider points out, is that: “Black Friday is too inconvenient. The traffic is usually crazy, so is getting a parking spot. Plus you have to weave your way through thick crowds to get to where you want to go.”
A proposed alternative to Black Friday, however, has recently risen from the ashes: Cyber Monday; the Monday after Thanksgiving during which stores offer the same incredible discounts, simply online instead. So one is able to shop for the same things with the same discounts, from the comfort of their own home. Many people, such as junior Ethan Hawes, prefer this to its alternative (Black Friday): “I prefer Cyber Monday, because there is a much wider variety online than in stores.” Hannah Robbins, also a junior, tends to disagree with Hawes: “ I prefer Black Friday, because I am able to see what I’m getting: It’s right in front of me. I can easily try it on right there and see if it fits. Also, I love going out late at night to shop: Everyone is outside with you, and it’s really crazy, and you just spend hours shopping with hundreds of other people in the same store. It’s just fun.”
As seen from the quotes above, both days have their respective positives and negatives. However, some believe that there aren’t enough people in the world who enjoy the thrill of shopping like Robbins. They fear that Cyber Monday will soon render Black Friday obsolete, since to so many, waiting out in the cold, dark, night for exceptional deals can in no way compete with the world of online, where you can receive the exact same deals from the comfort of home. Junior Nicola Tressler, is one of these people. When asked if she fears that Black Friday will one day be swallowed whole by the ever-expanding online market, her answer was clear: “I believe it definitely has the potential, because Americans tend to be more lazy when it comes to stuff like that. (They prefer) like staying inside, and (being) on electronics instead of going out and experiencing things.” Others, like junior Jillian Keilholtz, believe the tradition will stay long standing: “I don’t think it will because Black Friday is not just about the deals. Most of the time the deals aren’t that good. It’s just the whole experience of waking up early and going out with your friends shopping that makes Black Friday what it is.”
Although everyone may not agree on which day to spend shopping, there is one thing all Americans can agree on: Deals like those offered on both Black Friday and Cyber Monday are once a year, and should most definitely be taken advantage of. So, whether it’s from the comfort of one’s home, or out late at night with hundreds of others, make sure to shop til’ you drop!
by celeste pollack–news editor
