We are a few weeks away from Thanksgiving. The stores are already decorating for the Holiday Season. In some parts of the US the snow is coming down, reminding us fall is over and winter will soon be upon us.
As we are approaching the first holiday of the season. We can start to reflect on this year, looking at the good, the bad and the ugly that has been happening in our lives as well as around the world.
Are you grateful for what you have? Are you contented with your life, or are you on a quest for your own happiness?
With Thanksgiving comes Black Friday. The joy of Black Friday, where you have been camping out the night before on the front of your favorite store. Waiting for the one courageous employee to unlock the door before you join the stampede, running for your life to get the prize you have been waiting to get your hands on.
Some of you think a shopping cart is the greatest invention, with a dual purpose, since it can be turned into a weapon to plow everyone out of your way, as you grab one of the hottest deals for the early bird. Let’s not forget the people who love to snatch away items or the entire shopping cart of someone. Starting a brawl that will be viewed later in the local news; at least you got your 15 minutes of fame…
The store managers and security are watching this madness unfolding, and every year it gets better and better. The stores are doing more promotions, lowering prices for a few hours on a few quantities. Like the banner says “until it’s gone”. I used to work at one of these store’s and as the years passed the opening hours progressively changed to 4:00AM.
It was fascinating to watch as a sea of humans come running from both entrances, converging on one area. The Spirit of Thanksgiving was gone, it was an eye for an eye. What people didn’t know was that some of the electronics on display where only in limited quantities. To the anger of the customers that could not reach the items fast enough to grab one, because they were gone in less than 5 minutes, the excitement was over, only anger and frustration remained , and people now needed to protect their shopping carts from vultures.
Ah! The Joy of Black Friday. Now with Amazon you do not have to camp on the front of your favorite store. You can shop from the comfort of your home at a click of a button. You can even get better deals with Cyber Monday, a new way to continue to make consumers spend money.
In all this madness what are you actually thankful for?