Point | Counterpoint | Black Friday

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Let’s Go Black Friday Shopping!

Allison Ferreira ’16Black-Friday1-475x380

Most of us at NDA have acclimated to the tights by now, the morning air is crisper than usual, and Thanksgiving is just a few days away. I am surely excited to spend some quality time with my family this Thanksgiving (and eat an unhealthy amount of stuffing). I am also excited to spend some money this Black Friday, which is steadily approaching us.

I’ll admit that I’m not one who likes to think about Christmas before it’s even Thanksgiving. I am also not one to pull an all-nighter for the Black Friday adrenaline rush or to snag the newest iWatch. I’d much rather stay at home on Thanksgiving with my family, curl up in front of a fire, and soak up the family joy. However, these past few years, I have been known to go out in the late afternoon on Black Friday to shop.

Why not go Black Friday shopping this year? This doesn’t mean that you have to ditch your family at the Thanksgiving dinner table to line up outside of the mall. Let’s wake up out of our food comas after Thanksgiving at noon-time for some well-earned fun and undeniable savings. Additionally, with gas prices at new lows, us consumers will generally have more money to spend on Christmas gifts this year. Let’s be the engine of our global economy this holiday season. Let’s join the millions of Americans who go Black Friday shopping in support of small and large businesses.

I leave you with these closing thoughts: Remember that card you took on Friday for a child who doesn’t have a Christmas present? Now is the perfect time to buy your Christmas gift for the child who may not experience Christmas at Christmas at Carolina Hill and the Codman Square Health Center. This has been my Black Friday tradition since I started NDA. You will find me at the mall buying this child a Christmas present on Black Friday.

I am no Black Friday warrior, but I am a young woman who believes in a good deal and some negotiation. I don’t want to spend my hard-earned money on price-inflated goods. Don’t let the stores fool you; take the discount. Happy Black Fri-yay!

 

 

What’s the Deal with Black Friday?

Amy Ferreira ’16Black Friday

It’s four in the morning on the day after Thanksgiving. That’s right, it’s Black Friday. You ask yourself why you decided to stand in a mile-long line in the bone-chilling hours of the early morning. To get a head start on your Christmas shopping? To save a few bucks? Or maybe to watch strangers fight over the hottest deals? As crazy as it seems to lose sleep over shopping, and essentially put one’s self in danger for a discounted item, millions of Americans participate in Black Friday shopping every year. In my opinion, Black Friday is a senseless and chaotic tradition that diminishes the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday.

The day after celebrating all that we have and all that we are thankful for, Black Friday ensues and stifles the spirit of gratitude. In spite of all that we are blessed with, Black Friday tells us that we don’t have enough “stuff,” and that we must rush to buy more “stuff” while it’s on sale. We instantly shift from a spirit of thankfulness to a spirit of greediness, to buy all that we don’t necessarily need, but want. Why is day dedicated to American consumerism?

Before heading out on Black Friday, you may want to consider the implications and risks that come along with saving some pocket change. Black Friday has historically been associated with nonsensical fights, stampedes, brawls, arrests, and injuries. To date, there have been seven deaths and ninety-eight injuries among Black Friday shoppers. Is saving ten percent really worth putting yourself in danger?

Before heading out on Black Friday, remember that it’s not your only opportunity to save money on the items on your list. As Christmas approaches, there are plenty of sales and opportunities to purchase those headphones or that flat screen TV you’ve always wanted. Do yourself a favor and don’t camp outside of the Apple store all night in the freezing cold. Spare yourself the trouble of getting pummeled by a mob of Black Friday shoppers.

Have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving!