Black Friday: When is it Acceptable to Shop?

Here we have two perspectives of the annual tradition of Black Friday shopping. Soon thousands will be racing to the stores to get those one-of-a-kind deals for the holiday season.

When not to shop: The day of Thanksgiving.

When to shop: 5am and onwards.

So when is the best time to shop?

1: On Black Friday. First off, black refers to the hottest deals, and Friday is Friday! Just like Cyber Monday has its own name for more deals.

2:  The earliest time possible is the best time to shop. You get ahead of the crowds and you can spend all night and all day shopping, until you quite literally drop!

Would you skip Thanksgiving dinner to wait in line?

1: No, especially as a college student, food is a necessity. Even out of school, some people spend time with families that they don’t see very often. You can shop anytime, but it is rather rude to leave company for material items.

2. Yes. the deals are worth skipping part of the meal. There will be plenty of leftovers the next day. Besides, Thanksgiving happens every year!

Is the item/gift worth waiting in line for?

1: No, you can always order it online or wait for it to get restocked. Why skip the second serving of turkey and stuffing, or even dessert to stand in the cold, with many other people crowding for certain items.

2: Yes! You get great deals and prices that are really marked down! Plus, you can get most of your holiday shopping done early, why wait until the last minute when the deals are practically handed to you!

Thanksgiving is about spending time with friends, family, and the people close to you. This is what the holiday weekend is for. I encourage you not to skip out on the second half of dinner to jump in line at the store with the best deals, as this takes away the entire point. Yes there are people that wait in line for days for great purchases, but ask yourself: is it really worth it? Is the item that you desperately need worth skipping out on Thanksgiving? Yes the stores have great prices, but why not wait until later that day? Sure the item might be out of stock or backordered, but you’ll still get it in time for the holidays, if it is a gift. Finally, just remember that the employees working on before/during/after this shopping holiday are people too. They also wish to be at home during the Thanksgiving festivities, but rather they are working around the clock to fuel the people who just so desperately turn their focus to the shopping aspect of the weekend.

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