Black Friday: There must be something really exhilarating about getting up at 3 AM on the day after Thanksgiving, in order to get a parking spot at the local Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, Best Buy, Old Navy, JC Penny, Staples, Toys R Us, Sam's Club, Sears or Walgreens.
There must be some sense of accomplishment in getting one of the coveted spaces at the front of the line so you can be one of the first ones in the store when the doors open at 5 AM and score a shopping cart full of deals.
There must be some kind of adrenaline "high" shoppers get from this annual ritual of risking life and limb to get a deal. People have literally been trampled to death in the rush to acquire the most sought after deals of the season. Remember the scene last year at a Wal-Mart in New York when a part-time stock clerk was trampled to death by over-zealous shoppers?
I say must be because I've never taken part in this tribal ritual. In my entire life, it has always been my goal to stay as far away as possible from anything remotely resembling a shopping center on the day after Thanksgiving.
But with Black Friday shopping now a national sport, will most shoppers come away having bagged those great "doorbuster" deals? Probably not and here's why:
If you look closely at the ads touting those deals, in small print, you'll likely see the caveat: "Limited quantities, or minimum 2 per store, or while supplies last, or no rainchecks". Some retail experts think retailers are cheating shoppers by advertising such deals as a way to lure them into the store. Well, duh! Do ya think? Shoppers, be warned.
But fear not. There are alternatives to joining the throngs of those who risk life and limb for a deal on Black Friday.
Online Black Friday sales have already begun. You don't even have to wait until Cyber-Monday. At Black Friday Online,you'll find scores of retailers who are offering just as good deals without the risk and hassle of showing up in person. Just sit back at your computer, let your fingers do the shopping and thumb your nose at all those brave souls scurrying around parking lots with shopping carts and shopping lists a flying.
Or better yet, join me and thousands of others all over the world in celebrating Buy Nothing Day, November 27, 2009. BND began back in 1992 when Vancouver actor, artist and activist Ted Dave, got the idea to send a signal to the economy and the corporate sector that consumers do have power. "Absolutely everything around us in the urban environment is set up to be coercive, to get you to buy things spontaneously," he says.
The idea was to pick one day a year in which people would boycott all merchandise purchases. Seventeen years later, the campaign has caught on in countries all over the world. Now promoted by Adbusters magazine, the campaign is intended to have consumers not just change their habits for one day, but to launch a shift in awareness around consuming less and producing less waste.
Here are some startling facts about our consumption habits: Take a minute and watch:
So if you don't like the idea of being manipulated by advertisers and retailers, if you can't stomach the thought of putting life and limb at risk by braving the crowds on Black Friday, just do nothing. Sit back, watch your favorite football games on the tube, or go feed the homeless. Consume not; waste not.
As for me, I've officially declared myself a "gift-free" zone this Christmas. I'll neither be giving nor receiving gifts, much to the delight of my children and loved ones. As a family, we began this "gift-free" tradition last Christmas and found it so successful, we're giving it an encore this year. All during the mad rush to shop last year, we were free to truly enjoy the holidays, knowing that our gifts were all about appreciating each other's presence and nothing about buying presents.
I'll be exploring some gift-free alternatives for celebrating the holidays in the weeks to come and I'd love to hear your creative ideas as well. For those who have already gone gift-free, how does it work for you? What are your plans for Black Friday? Please stop by the comment section and share your secrets for surviving the shopping onslaught. You can help me write the next chapter in our discussion.
While you're at it, why not let your friends in on the conversation? Post this to your FB page and let's hear from a wide host of others' ideas about alternative ways to celebrate the holidays.
And if you're not already a Fan, go ahead, join the club. We're a friendly bunch. You're welcome here. You're also welcome at my personal blog and web site: Rx For The Soul. You can leave personal messages for me there.
Happy Thanksgiving, and don't forget to keep your powder dry on Black Friday.
Blessings on the path,
Judith