As we draw near the holiday season, there are several things on our minds. Whether it be sadness about the closing of spooky season or the food that will be on our plates in a matter of days, it is assured that we are busy people. One thing that may be appearing in our busy minds is the topic of Christmas shopping on Black Friday. The day after Thanksgiving, people around the world hop in their cars and go on a shopping spree while all of the good deals are going around. Some people stick to online shopping, but others perfer the malls. It would be a lie to say that Black Friday is a calm day among us. So, where did the tradition come from and what is it all about?
The Black Friday name originated from a place that was not all about shopping. It began in 1869 with the crash of the US Gold Market. Instead of being about a fun yet crazy day to go shopping, it actually started with a global financial crisis. Two men had been buying large amounts of stock and it eventually came tumbling down. Most people assume, then, that the two seemingly unrelated days are related because of the chaos that ensues around merchandise purchasing. The name was officially coined by police in the 1950s to describe the pure chaos that appeared the day after Thanksgiving. However, here are several others stories that people relate to the background of Black Friday that are much darker than the ones previously mentioned. One theory states that the background actually dates back to slave trade. It was told that slaves were sold at cheaper prices the day after Thanksgiving as a treat to slave-owners. Because of these reasons, and several others, there are several people who choose to not participate.
The overwhelming vote on if it is a good tradition or not was yes, though there were a couple of people who had circumstances in mind when they thought it was not the best. Freshman Lillian Reith stated how she was excited for this year’s Black Friday to roll around, though she did have a few concerns. “I really need a coffee maker for my dorm room, so that is top on my list,” she explained. “But I do think that people often take the excitement too far, and I think that is when it can stop being fun.”
On the other hand, some people seem to enjoy the chaos. “I thrive in retail store chaos and love watching it ensue,” sophomore Elena Lee explained. “But I think it can be unfair to store employees when they have to work on Thanksgiving instead of being with their families.”
No matter the verdict, there seems to be both good and bad sides to the chaotic day. Ashlynn Kooima, a freshman on campus, explained that it is good for saving money because of all the good deals. In fact, because of the multiple deals, that famous chaos we always hear about in the media often ensues as a result. Even though these things may be true, it is a holiday that follows a time of fellowship and giving and plays a large role in our holiday experience.
