There's something off-putting about Black Friday

Black Friday only started becoming a thing here a few years ago, and it's just got worse, although it's still nowhere near the level that it is in the States as the deals aren't quite as extreme. But it's still a day to avoid the stores - I usually do my weekly grocery shopping on a Friday, but there was no way I was doing that today.

So if I am to buy anything on Black Friday it's going to be online (although a friend has just told me that a clothing store has DC, Marvel, and Star Wars T-shirts on sale...), but I haven't spotted too much that I'm interested in, which I suppose is a benefit of having a weird taste in things. There are a couple of specialist online CD stores that are having sales of things that I'm keen on, although since the sales aren't just for today it gives me time to work out just what I'm going to buy. I put together an initial list of everything that looked cool and then added it together to see how much it would cost and realised that the list needs to be a LOT shorter.

Black Friday has been "a thing" all my life, but it's become more extreme in the past couple of decades. Of course there is something off-putting about it, especially for Christians who are supposed to be put off by materialism (mammon worship).

There is nothing inherently wrong with it. All it is at it's core is a big day for retail, the start of the Christmas shopping season for them, and a day where they can capitalize on people being off of work and in the mood to get a start on their Christmas shopping. I don't blame the retailers for doing whatever they can do help their businesses.

What I think is the off-putting part is that it creates an environment that brings out the worst displays of greed and materialism (again, mammon worship) in many people. I think in the past 20 years people have become so open and brazen about their greed because we have reached a point where the sin of greed and mammon worship is no longer considered sinful by most people, including many or most who deem themselves to be Christians.

It becomes highlighted when you see disgusting displays of people becoming abusive and violent with each other to the point where people are physically assaulted or even killed. But even without that the way people behave like animals when they are in the lines and then running through the stores, all for what? For material possessions and to help themselves save money. That is pure material/mammon worship.

So in summary, one can go shopping on black Friday and try to get deals and things but do it in a manner that is pleasing to God (because it is good to be a good steward of what God has given you and to make wise decisions in spending). But it is the way so many go about it that is displeasing to God, especially for those who call themselves Christians but then turn around and behave like animals whose primary interest is in money and material things.

I don't participate in the sense that I will not be foolish about wasting my time on lines or fighting crowds. I may go shopping and try to get "deals" but only if it's convenient and easy; I will not become a money/possessions-crazed animal who will do abnormal things (much less offensive things) to get "deals" or things.

Of all people, Christians should know that they have a Heavenly Father who wants to give us good things and help us spend our money wisely. If we act prudently and pray to God for help we don't need Black Friday to get "deals" because we will always be able to get what we want in a good way, if it's God's Will. If it's not God's Will He will direct us that way, also.

But as a cultural phenomenon Black Friday has become something that is mostly pretty evil. It's not the retailers themselves who are to blame but rather the people who feed into the money-worship that the day fosters.

All I know about Black Friday is what I've seen on the news and read on the internet.

Not everywhere in America is Black Friday a crazy, heathen, insane, violent tradition. The phrase "Black Friday" has been around for a while, but wasn't widespread as a common term until the 80's. The crazy shopping phenomenon wasn't a thing until the early 2000's when most here were just little kids.

I have never shopped on Black Friday. My ex-wife and her mom did it a couple of times when we lived in Arizona.

Here where I grew up, I have never heard of violence, or people camping out, or any of the other silliness that the media focuses on in the big cities.

The news reports say that the crowds should be down this year, as more and more people will shop online. I do not plan to leave the house today.

I've never been a fan. If other people want to do it more power to them for being thrifty, but it's never been for me. For one thing, I don't care about stuff, I don't want more 'things' surrounding me, and I definitely don't feel like feeling like I'm in the middle of a Metallica concert while I'm trying to get it.

My Black Friday ritual is to barricade myself in my house, enjoy some food and watch any games that are on (got Navy @ Houston on right now).

It isn't like that anymore. Many people shop online. My kids ventured out last night because they wanted to get a special at Gamestop. No huge crowds there. They then ran to Walmart to just check it out. About 5 years ago, it had lines outside the store. My daughter said that the store was about as busy as a normal busy time but they were set up with staffing for crazy crowds. However, the employees were on the rude side in spite of not having that much to do. She asked for help finding a bathroom rug I asked her to check on...

Many people are shopping online. It isn't that big of a deal. Just busy because it is the first day of Christmas shopping season and lots of people shop as a social activity with family & friends who are in town for the holidays. I think people are making a bigger deal of it than it is anymore.

My daughter and her best friend home from college for the holiday got up early (8:30am) to go buy fabric at 70% off because they are sewing a lot of their Christmas gifts. They are also stocking up for future projects. She got patterns the other day that normally run over $20 each for $1. I suspect that she will come home with more today. Their anime hobby requires a bunch of sewing. For her, this is a big budget saving day.

How do the deals online at places like amazon compare to retail stores like walmart? I would assume the deals at stores are way better or else why would anyone wait till 12 at night to stand in a long line and run around in the store looking for discounts when they can get similar value online? Either way i prefer to shop online and saving a few hundred on items isnt worth it to me to deal with the hassle of black friday. Some people love all of the fuss involved with it but i'll pass for now.

ImAllLikeOkWaitWat said:

How do the deals online at places like amazon compare to retail stores like walmart? I would assume the deals at stores are way better or else why would anyone wait till 12 at night to stand in a long line and run around in the store looking for discounts when they can get similar value online? Either way i prefer to shop online and saving a few hundred on items isnt worth it to me to deal with the hassle of black friday. Some people love all of the fuss involved with it but i'll pass for now.

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Before, the sales were extraordinary....that is when people would stand in line for hours in hopes of getting one of the stores limited stock of these items. Now, they aren't so crazy and many items are available through the online ordering. They can be delivered to the store for zero shipping costs. I have been told that a lot of similar deals can be got on Cyber Monday. I think the real savings comes when you are buying for a large number of people and not when you are just shopping for a handful of people. I know my MIL used to stand in the lines because she could get her grandkids (11 total) expensive gift on a budget ... but she also loves to shop.

My kids were tickled with the deals they got at Gamestop last night. My son got 5 games he wanted for $10. My daughter only came home with one but seem pretty pleased on the deal she got.

Main reason that I am not taking advantage of some of the real deals on Black Friday is that I don't have money to spend on the fancy "extras" at this time in my life. Our electronics work and we don't need anything fancier. Otherwise, we mostly have what we need. I suspect that a lot of Black Friday spending is spent on personal desires and not gifts for others. I wonder what would happen to sales if they would run these special pricings on a day in midyear when people had money to spend on themselves.

If I need or want something, I'll check the Black Friday prices, sure. I did have to work today, so I didn't have time to do everything I wanted to for Black Friday, but I got a couple of things I needed at discounts.

I only went black thursday-friday shopping once and while it was
fun and a cool feeling being at the mall at 3 am,it was exhausting and the next day I slept
my day away.

Multifavs said:

I've never gone shopping on Black Friday and I don't want to. I would rather stay away from the huge crowds, and people fighting over items and even hurting other people over a sale is just not right.
I would rather shop online or wait until closer to Christmas when the same items may be on sale again.

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I agree with you.

I used to go with my mother. I never really wanted to, but she insisted I go with her. I lost my son in a store on a black friday when he was about 2 years old (I put him down on the floor and he bolted through the crowd). Employees stopped what they were doing to help look for him. It was one of the worst traumas of my life.

I sometimes go after the masses have cleared to see what is left over and only get things that are needed, but I don't even do that very often. I had to get groceries yesterday, and I just went to a small neighborhood grocery store, and avoided the larger stores.

My oldest son (the one who ran from me on a black friday) works in retail now. He was scheduled yesterday, but not until the afternoon. The traffic wasn't bad and everyone seemed calm by that point, but the store parking lots were packed.

I think the frenzy takes place early on in the day, when the store first open up or begin the sales (for those that are open 24 hours). Once the main crowd has grabbed and fought for their stuff everything settles down.

I've gone out one time on Black Friday. Never ever again. I don't have a lot of tolerance for people, crowds and traffic to begin with so it brings out the absolute worst in me and it's just better for all involved if I stay home.