Today was the day after Thanksgiving, a day well known here in the States, as well as other countries, as “Black Friday”, traditionally the day that the holiday season properly begins. While this traditional identity is a complete load, with seasonal items and music being present as early as late October in some situations, this day still marks the point where the shopping insanity begins, kicked off by sale after sale at every store you can think of, all in the hopes of companies getting every dime they can from customers.
A day that is the epitome of the phenomena known as “Retail Hell.”
Actually, at this stage, Black Friday isn’t even a thing – for the past few years, stores have been opening around 5PM or so on Thanksgiving Day (it previously used to be Midnight the day after Thanksgiving that the insanity started) and from there, on through the weekend, well, it’s madness as people hunt high and low for some kind of deal.
Something about this picture always sums up the nightmare of retail during the holidays.
This year, however, I didn’t have to deal with any of it. I got to stay home and actually enjoy my time away from all of it. This is the first time in I think a decade that I haven’t had to work at least some element of the day at a major retail store. Instead, I did spend a bit of time at the shop yesterday (yes, on Thanksgiving) but that was because I felt like it.
Unless you’ve worked in a major store on this day, you truly cannot comprehend just how much of a nightmare it is – let alone the holiday season on a whole. People hell bent on getting what they perceive are great deals, but usually aren’t, fighting over all kinds of junk that doesn’t matter and isn’t worth going to jail over, and the worst thing, of course, the attitudes present not just on Black Friday but the entire holiday season. It’s nice to not have to deal with it for a change.
I could go on and on about it, and probably will, as I do every holiday season, but for now, I just wanted to get a post out, so, yeah. Another pointless post? Sure, but hey, I guess it means my article rate this holiday season will be better than it was last year!
Take it for what it is.. just, seriously, when you’re out shopping this holiday season, don’t be an asshole and expect things to not be available. It’s that simple.