Black Friday: When CEO's Dream

Black Friday: When CEO’s Dream

Black Friday (henceforth referred to as BF) has been an institution in this country for as long as I can remember. In short, it’s is a termed used by retailers to refer to the fact that their businesses go into the “black” meaning they are actually making money. For many retailers, it’s the holiest day of the year. A day CEO’s lay on their sold gold pillows dreaming, safe in the  knowledge that their yearend bonuses are secure…yes, let us sleep easy.

There used to be rules for BF. It was on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving; not Thanksgiving Day, not Wednesday, not Midnight…it was Friday…period. People spent a few hours on Friday taking advantage of deals and getting ramped up for the Christmas shopping season. Maybe have some lunch with a good friend. There were no long lines of people that had been camped out for up to twelve hours before a store opened to buy televisions, tablets, and computers.

In time, retailers figured out that people had become so entrenched in a consumer culture that they figured out ways to make them crazy over things they didn’t really need and could find at different times of the year if they were savvy and paying attention. People had slid into a mentality that their loved ones, particularly their small children, absolutely had to have the newest and greatest item made in China for the low low price of $99.95. I remember Teddy Ruxpin and Cabbage Patch Dolls. People actually fist fighting in stores over the scant supply of these dolls that ended up in landfills five minutes after Johnny and Suzy grew tired of them. Just so you know, kids could care less about such things. Their attention spans are short and if you give them sticks and string just for giggles, you would be amazed what they can do with them.

We are seeing Christmas come earlier and earlier with each passing year. We have become so spoiled as a culture, we think we have the right to mindlessly consume and discard. It’s the new normal. In doing so we have watched our jobs go overeas, our economy go in the toilet, and we have become a debtor nation. It’s a long way from The Declaration of Independence. For me, I choose to push away from the table. I will not be participating in the gluttonous consumer orgy that is Black Friday. My children will have a low end Christmas consisting of a few items. I will teach them that family is what matters and what they should be paying attention to and that they should be thankful what they have. We will have out feasts and if you’re one of the fortunate, you will receive one inexpensive gift from me. If you’re really fortunate, you will get a call from me on Christmas Day wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.