This Thanksgiving as families sat down around huge tables covered by plates of comfort food, companies around the country were getting ready for the most hectic shopping day of the year. Black Friday started in the late 18th century when department stores like Macy’s had parades while tactfully planting advertisements into the show, where then people would shop following this entertainment.  Every November the advertisements for these alleged deals sneak their way into every form of media outlet available. Consumers are constantly being bombarded with a surplus of goods at a reduced price. Of course, as technology opens the door to newer and faster information, companies have learned how to use this to their favor.  Cyber Monday first gained its name following Thanksgiving in 2005.  

Cyber Monday is convenient for people who do not necessarily like other people. Shoppers can stay inside after a long day of work, listening to music and eating dinner with eyes glued to a screen while they surf the web for gifts for themselves and others. There are deals starting at midnight on online stores that are only available for a certain amount of time, which creates a sense of panic in consumers who then buy items. Simply clicking purchase helps diminish the actual cost of buying the object, because the consumer is not thinking about that lost money. For companies, Cyber Monday is pure genius.

Black Friday is avoided by lots of shoppers that do not enjoy large crowds. It is known for its long lines in the early mornings and animalistic attributes.  It is known for its hours of traffic and cranky people who are supposed to be thankful. Even so, it seems to just keep getting bigger and bigger.

It does seem ironic, however, that following a day when Americans are supposed to be counting their blessings there are now two days that are completely and totally dedicated to buying things at a supposed lower cost.  These days offer great deals on things that many people do not need but want, which again seems contradictory to the holiday preceding it. However, it still remains a huge factor in our society.

I have never been shopping following Thanksgiving and probably will not in the near future. I am not much of a shopper; I do not do crowds and I do not like the overarching moral of this day.  I can understand why people like it because it’s a way to purchase gifts for loved ones while saving money. Personally, I think both days are a load of baloney. I realize that we live in a consumer based society, economy and world, where material objects are being thrown at us constantly.  Even so, I think the conversation should be pointed towards a new day, Giving Tuesday. Giving Tuesday is the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It is not a day about purchasing items or standing in long lines or waiting for things to get off of backorder. Its sole purpose is to give back to the community, environment and people that give us the life we are so blessed to have. In a way, it reiterates the overarching moral of Thanksgiving, that I find people are slowly forgetting about.

Cyber Monday and Black Friday feed into our desire to have as many things as we want as quickly as we want them. They raise our blood pressure, deteriorate our joyful moods and destroy the idea of counting our blessings.  They are poisonous days in the nights leading up to Christmas, another holiday that is slowly being destroyed by our consumer based culture.  

I urge those that participated in these two days to now stop and switch directions to a more thankful approach to December. I hope people can start to love the idea of giving to others that are less fortunate. Giving Tuesday is a great place to start.