Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Life

by Marsha Ward

In my lifetime, I've seen a lot of Thanksgiving Days roll by. Sometimes they were spent with family members, whether a few or hoards of them; sometimes they were spent with friends; a few times they were spent alone. This year was a family time, and I enjoyed the company of my daughter and one of my sons. Unfortunately, the other children had other obligations, and couldn't attend the celebration. Be that as it may, we had a wonderful time together.

A new kind of celebration has come along in more recent years, maybe the last twenty or so. It's a "shop until you drop" merchant-driven frenzy called Black Friday, fueled by greed and conspicuous consumerism. It has replace a lot of families' tradition of putting up the Christmas decorations on the Friday following Thanksgiving Day. I avoid Black Friday's crowds with a passion. I don't recall a time I have ever ventured out of my home to be bashed and battered by other shoppers in pursuit of a bargain.

Now in the last couple of years, we have another "shopping day" when one can find great bargains, but this one is a little different. You needn't leave your home to indulge in a Cyber Monday spending spree, which takes place on the Monday after Thanksgiving. This is the day to surf the Internet in search of bargains both electronic and everyday. Select, click, and your gift or new acquisition is on its way to you or your giftee. I like the lack of crowds, so this is a shopping day that suits me.

I don't have any grand conclusion, just my observations. Let me pitch you a question instead. Which do you prefer: Black Friday or Cyber Monday?