The Spin on Black Friday. Or is it Thursday?

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Take your pick. So many choices are available!

Midnight. That’s when stores are opening for Black Friday. Oh! Wait a minute. 

Some of them are opening at 8PM! Hello Wal-Mart, Target, Toys R Us Sears and Kmart! Target, 9PM. Kohl’s and Macy’s and Best Buy are keeping it at midnight. Sure hope you can get a nap in before standing on line and freezing. Brrrrr.

And Nordstrom? They are maintaining their stance on no Holiday décor until Black Friday. Great marketing strategy guys! You are doing a great thing and it makes you shine like a Christmas ball ornament.
Well, I for one am done with the whole Black Friday hoo-ha. How much savings is there anyway? Do people buy MORE because they are “saving”?

Are gifts and who has the latest and greatest or the biggest and the best really important?

Who started this whole Black Friday thing? There’s different explanations for it however the most realistic one is that the term evolved from a statement that the Philadelphia Police Department made in 1966 regarding crowds and traffic jams on the day after Thanksgiving. Guess someone saw a marketing opportunity and ran with that!

Last year, I took a leisurely drive. No, didn’t go too far with the price of gas. It’s amazing how many things one can see that are fifty miles or less from home. And if you are concerned about the price of gas, save money on your drive by packing a picnic lunch! Some advice: Don’t go driving anywhere near a mall or major shopping center and you’ll be just fine! 

Or,

Just sleep in and have a peaceful day at home. Order gifts online. Download a movie you always wanted to see. Gear up for small business Saturday; mom and pop stores are the quiet backbone of this country; they could become tomorrow’s well-known names. Support them and help them grow. That evening, put the radio on and play some board games. Pretend the internet and TV don’t exist just for one day.

Ooooh, scary. Spending time with family and friends! Think about it. What has more long term value: Good conversation, a few laughs and some new memories, or getting on line at 6PM after gobbling turkey so that you can save $10 to get your kid can have a new Xbox game?

Los Bravos sang about the color black back in the 60’s; do you want your baby back? And if you haven’t had enough Black Friday, read more here and here. But wait; there’s more! If you want to read, laugh, and learn, stop by and say hello on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or the website.