Thanksgiving-Black Friday is a sham

Thanksgiving has become one thing. The lead up to Black Friday. I mean you've got people on Thanksgiving camping out to run in and spend every dime they've earned all year? Please wake up to "Black Friday" if you haven't already (In regards to big businesses not small). It's simply a way to exploit the holiday of Thanksgiving. It's an attempt by the corporations to get you into spending mode from now until Christmas(or the end of the holiday season). Buy up all the obsolete crap because mark my words, theirs an even bigger better design already in the works.. come on guys, buy up they need new space! Why do you think they advertise out their butts..? Want to know what to do?

I understand not everyone trying to sell something is part of greedy corporations, and that not EVERY corporation is bad. So here's a few things you can do on Black Friday and during this holiday season for those of you shopping.

1. Small business. Let the little guy at-least take advantage of the day or holiday season, esp from all this advertising. Think of online small business, or locally made arts or trinkets. Just think outside the box

2. Big business. Be weary of the who you're dealing with, what sort of company this is. Do your research on them, if they have a clean track record, go for it. (Only if you absolutely have to.)

3. Buy smart. Don't let all the advertising send you into a spending frenzy, be smart about what you buy and do not impulsive buy.

4. China. Just don't do it. Obviously buy American or Canadian that way you can at least try to justify buying that big screen I know some of you are eying. Are any even made here?

5.Husbands. Assuming you're married and your wife does the shopping, attend her this go-round. Women are proven to be more impulsive when it comes to buying, and also two heads are better than one.

6.Family and Friends. Me and my sister and best friend made an agreement not to exchange gifts this year. (just an idea)
But more importantly, focus on loving your friends and family rather than $$ and crap and more crap they're trying to shove down our throats.

7. Good Deeds. Do as many good deeds as you can during this holiday season. Just do it! You'll feel 10x better about yourself than buying crap in the mall, I promise.

And never mind what Thanksgiving has become, keep this one thing in mind; you're giving to them and they're saying thanks! Enjoy the day with your family and/or friends. And anymore suggestions are welcome! Happy Holidays folks.

Im proud to say I have never been a "black friday" shopper. After working in retail for years and knowing how the game is played..I don't bother..not to mention I value my sleep and time with my family.

We have bought a lot of stuff on etsy and have made food/gifts for family and friends.

We have also decided to forgo gifts exchange this year..we received too many thing we don't really need or want. We have a large family and it became too difficult to buy for everyone. This is the 2nd year we have not exchanged gifts and I couldn't be happier.

Good tips, and I completely agreed, but just about holiday we celebrate is a sham, so thanksgiving + black friday wouldnt be any different.

reply to post by ICEKOHLD


This thread actually has subsistence..

Has anyone seen some of the deals for black Friday?


Black Friday Sales.

reply to post by Neopan100


I think it's a very good idea to start a no gift giving trend... It's just a cycle of spending they've got us in for stuff we don't need... I wonder how many gifts I've given to only have that same gift given away.

Historically nearly every reference to a "Black Friday" I have seen, is either an event where a lot of people died, or an event where someone lost a ton of money.

I guess our modern Black Friday is no exception to that pattern.

reply to post by Hiasyouwant


Pure Captialistic Greed Created into a American Tradition . Consume Mass Quantities Anyone ? .....

Wait wait wait....you exchange gifts at thanksgiving??? or were you speaking of Christmas??
Yes Black Friday is starting to get big up here in Canada too. AND WE HAVE OUR THANKS GIVING IN OCTOBER! IT"S NOT EVEN A HOLIDAY!

Don't forget....BUY BUY BUY!

reply to post by muzzleflash


I did see this on some retailing site's history page and sorry its my only source haha.

www.blackfridaysales.com...

Black Friday has been used to describe various events historically, most notably the United States financial crisis of 1869. In 1966, a Philadelphia newspaper noted that Black Friday had been assigned by Philadelphia’s Police Department as a negative term during Christmas, to describe the terribly overcrowded streets, massive traffic, and huge mobs shopping at all of the downtown stores.

Although they do go on to say how it has become a more positive term
and

Black Friday sales had historically extended through the whole week following Thanksgiving, until retailers realized this reduced the sense of urgency by consumers. Over time, sales have become concentrated into one or two days.

Many films over time have shown a comedic drama of the shopping chaos that happens during the holidays as everyone clambers after that must-have gift. In reality, recent shopping seasons have shown a substantial increase in Black Friday injuries stemming from consumer chaos by people trying to make sure they get their share of Black Friday deals.

At a Wal-Mart in Ohio, several employees were pinned against merchandise due to crowds flooding in the front doors when the store opened. In 2008, at another Wal-Mart more than 2,000 shoppers waited for the doors open at 5 a.m.. When the doors finally opened, the mob rushed in, broke down the door and trampled an employee, causing his death. None of the shoppers showed concern for the victim, continuing to rush in the store while other employees tried to help the fallen employee.

So between lining up on actually Thanksgiving night, that false sense of urgency,and false sense of that must-have item, people are stressed, angry barbians stampeding toward a toy. Boy have they got a lot of people hooked..

reply to post by Vardoger


On Thanksgiving ( The Time Of Harvest) , I Thank the Creator of the Universe for giving me Life and the Ability to Substain it . The Native Americans tried to Convey this Concept to the First European Settlers arriving at the Shores of America and they took it to heart because it became Selfevident to them . Since then , to alot of People, Thanksgiving has become a Tradition Warped somehow into a Gluttonist Orgy of Consumerism ...........What Happened .........

reply to post by Vardoger


I was speaking of the gift giving part at Christmas in my family, but the other traditions during this "Gift giving season" also known as "spell" other traditions seem to be following as well. Hell, Jewish people have 12 days of it.

These as well

On 9 February 1945 a force of Allied Bristol Beaufighter aircraft suffered heavy casualties during an unsuccessful attack on German destroyer Z33 and escorting vessels; the operation was labelled "Black Friday" by the surviving Allied aircrew.

en.wikipedia.org...

Black Friday, September 24, 1869 also known as the Fisk/Gould scandal, was a financial panic in the United States caused by two speculators’ efforts to corner the gold market on the New York Gold Exchange.

en.wikipedia.org...

This is one is the most intriguing.

Milstein always documents the linkage between the war and the status of Israel inside the world community. From January to March 1948, the U.S. and the U.N. figured out that the implementation of the 1948 'Partition Plan' was impossible. The U.S. administration, the State Department, and especially James Forrestal pressed for a change. On March 19, 1948, the U.S. suddenly announced its support for an alternative plan: The Trusteeship. This was our 'Black Friday.'

www.jewishpost.com...
So Israel's "Independence Day" is on March 15th, 1948. Isreal's black Friday is four days later on the 19th when the United States began supporting Isreal. Interesting...

reply to post by Zanti Misfit


Absolutely....Christmas and thanksgiving....no all "holidays" have completely lost their meaning to me. I used to love it because of the time spent with relatives but now it's just buy buy buy (I'll admit....as a child a lot had to do with presents).....if you don't spend money on someone you're a bad person!.

reply to post by Vardoger


Consumerism has been Programed into all of us . Canadian and American alike . Sublimital Training since Birth to Cosume and Keep the Money Flowing taking Advantage of Any National Holiday to Move the Wealth around . I am so Sick of it , but how can it be Finally Ended ? ..........

reply to post by Zanti Misfit


Well since we're programmed we could re-write the code.

During Katrina I was in Jefferson Parish, only a canal separates it from New Orleans. So we didn't have power for three weeks.. not enough time to keep me away from things like tv and the net for good... but when power came back on... I was already over it. Over sweating 24/7 from no A.C., over no lights, over no computer or tv. I really think I could live off grid and be absolutely happy.. and yet I still returned to it.. Programmed we are..

I think the best way to counter this is to raise our kids in a different way..

Originally posted by Zanti Misfit
On Thanksgiving ( The Time Of Harvest) , I Thank the Creator of the Universe for giving me Life and the Ability to Substain it . The Native Americans tried to Convey this Concept to the First European Settlers arriving at the Shores of America and they took it to heart because it became Selfevident to them .

Ummmmm NO...

The Real Thanksgiving

Much of America's understanding of the early relationship between the Indian and the European is conveyed through the story of Thanksgiving. Proclaimed a holiday in 1863 by Abraham Lincoln, this fairy tale of a feast was allowed to exist in the American imagination pretty much untouched until 1970, the 350th anniversary of the landing of the Pilgrims. That is when Frank B. James, president of the Federated Eastern Indian League, prepared a speech for a Plymouth banquet that exposed the Pilgrims for having committed, among other crimes, the robbery of the graves of the Wampanoags. He wrote:

"We welcomed you, the white man, with open arms, little knowing that it was the beginning of the end; that before 50 years were to pass, the Wampanoag would no longer be a free people."

But white Massachusetts officials told him he could not deliver such a speech and offered to write him another. Instead, James declined to speak, and on Thanksgiving Day hundreds of Indians from around the country came to protest. It was the first National Day of Mourning, a day to mark the losses Native Americans suffered as the early settlers prospered. This true story of "Thanksgiving" is what whites did not want Mr. James to tell.

What Really Happened in Plymouth in 1621?

According to a single-paragraph account in the writings of one Pilgrim, a harvest feast did take place in Plymouth in 1621, probably in mid-October, but the Indians who attended were not even invited. Though it later became known as "Thanksgiving," the Pilgrims never called it that. And amidst the imagery of a picnic of interracial harmony is some of the most terrifying bloodshed in New World history.

www.danielnpaul.com...

Thanksgiving really IS a sham

Enjoy your turkey

reply to post by zorgon


Thank you for the info, I'll be reading it.
gobble gobble...pssh now we could probably research cruelty to turkeys

WKRP Turkey Drop in 30 Seconds