I’ve mentioned before I don’t do Black Friday sales. After reading all of the play-by-play updates on Facebook from those brave enough to take on our local Walmart last night, I’m convinced I made the right decision to stay in and avoid all of the craziness. I was literally laughing until I cried over some of the Facebook posts I read. As usual, it was a Black Friday Smackdown.
Apparently, towels were flying. Sheet sets were causing grown women to lose their minds and play tug of war right there in the aisle. Nasty, heated words were exchanged over kid’s battery operated vehicles, people were bear-hugging electronics until the word was given, and according to one source, the body odor in the air because everyone was packed into different sections like sardines was quite overwhelming. And? The $2 waffle irons were all the rage, causing literal rage.
One friend was physically pushed over into the towel bin. One’s finger was cut. One was hit on the head by a flying elbow. Police were out in full force, and as far as I know, nobody was seriously injured and no arrests were made. I also follow news stations in the bigger cities that are nearest to us. Apparently, folks in some of those places were not so fortunate.
By the end of the night when people were checking out, the consensus was split. Most vowed they would never, ever participate in a Black Friday sales event ever again and that the shoving and fighting over things weren’t worth it. Some walked away mad after standing in line for hours for an item they were unable to get. Still, others seemed to be high on that “I got what I needed and I did it!!!” adrenaline rush, claiming it was all worth it. They did it for the kids, etc.
However, one Facebook friend of mine seemed to sum up my sentiments exactly over all the Black Friday craziness:
All the “stuff” people are going to be knocking themselves in the head for, today, will either be broken 2 years from now, be outgrown 1 year from now, be boring and grown tired of 6 months from now, and 5 years from now, nobody will probably give a rat’s tail nor remember WHAT they got this year, anyway.
……but they WILL remember the time to spent with them, and the way you made them feel, for a lifetime.
Did you go to any sales? I’d love to hear about your experiences.
And…this video shows the riot over the $2 waffle makers at a WalMart…lawd, have mercy!
Dude, I do not do Black Friday. It’s CRAZY. The Wal-Mart where some chick pepper sprayed the people behind her so she could get video games? That’s in my area. And old man got beat down by police inside a Phoenix Wal-Mart. By the way, ever notice that all the violence, etc happens at Wal-Mart and NOT Target?
Things that make you go HMMMM… 😀
No, we don;t participate in the commercial frenzy. Did you read the one about the woman who used pepper spray on other shoppers? Or the three shootings that occurred in different cities? Or the numerous fist fights and tramplings?
We really need to examine our values as a society.
I have no desire to deal with crowds and people during Black Friday or most of the holiday season. I typically try to avoid retail locations from Thanksgiving on. Yesterday TechyDad bought The Muppets MP3. It was $4.99 and he had a $2 off code. Made the album a great deal. I bought The Entertainment book. It was on sale 30% off, free shipping, and then I get 40% back from Ebates on the purchase. Not too shabby for something that will save us money on movies and meals out for the year ahead.