I was talking with my family the other day, and something horrible came up - the general American population does not consider Black Friday to be a holiday. What??! Black Friday is one of the most iconic days of the year.... of course it is a holiday!
1. Stores have sales.
This is a key one - you don't see anyone arguing that Memorial Day and Presidents' Day are holidays, do you? Of course not; stores have sales for them. By having sales, stores are giving importance to the day and telling people that they should be out enjoying it - as everyone should be at midnight on Black Friday.
2. People decorate.
Mmm, I've seen so many beautiful signs advertising Black Friday. So heart-eyes.
3. Millions of people observe this.
Truly, they do. Anyone who has tried to "run to the store really quickly to pick up oneeee thing" can attest.
4. It has important significance.
Black Friday is the start of the holiday shopping season, a make-or-break time for a lot of companies. And many people rely on doorbusting sales to ensure their families get a happy holiday that perhaps they could not have otherwise afforded. This is a cause to celebrate for me, especially given some of the ~~other stuff~~ that gets celebrated in this country.
5. There are traditions and rituals associated with it.
I know we have our traditions - at 8pm we stand in line at Target to get whatever we feel is important to get there, and we go out again at midnight when the malls open. We don't mow anybody down, but the 1am Chick-fil-a french fries are pretty ritual.
6. People come together to celebrate.
People rarely Black Friday shop alone - you bring your step/brother, your mom, your best friend... someone to brave the crowds with you.
7. People come out of it with shocking stories that add to the fun of the day.
Think about Labor Day or the Fourth of July... legendary stories of events unremembered. Or Christmas and Thanksgiving, when your family threw the entire turkey out the window after seeing a cockroach in the bathroom. Without legends, you have no holiday - and we ALL can think of a crazy Black Friday story, whether or not you've ever actually gone shopping.
