Well, it's that time again. Come Thursday, your stomach will be stuffed with turkey, and your newspaper will be stuffed with ads. Remember when Black Friday actually started on Friday? What a thing of the past. Now, you can start your holiday shopping on Thanksgiving Day!
It's ironic. Let's all sit down and celebrate what we have, and then trample each other to save a hundred dollars on a pair of headphones.
I consider myself a bargain hunter, but I did not spend a day traveling to end up in an hour long line in a chain store. Obviously, Black Friday has great economic value. Otherwise, how can an American holiday about thanks and family be eclipsed? When I remember Thanksgivings past, I think about the first time I got to make the cranberry sauce. I remember the year so many people came we had to put two tables together. I look forward to making more like that. I would have missed out, had those evenings been spent running around stores rather than making crazy sandwiches and watching movies with my grandma.
Thanksgiving comes at a convenient time for many. For college students, It provides a relaxing breath before finals. The last thing I want to do is counteract that.
This leaves the more sensible, Cyber Monday. Get online for some amazing deals. The best part? It happens on Monday, leaving Thanksgiving its own time bubble. As an added bonus, movement and clothing are optional. Feel free to eat that bowl of leftovers in your bathrobe and slippers while surfing the web! Relaxation and great deals are what Cyber Monday is about.
Beware of the hottest whatever of the season. In today's world of gift giving, mass produced items are often expected. Much to my family's chagrin, I am a talented present predictor. Let me hold the box, and opening it on Christmas Day is just a ceremony. It's a fun game, but my favorite presents are often the ones I can't guess. Something homemade or bought at a small business seems more like a treasure. It's unexpected, and has more character than something off the "gifts of the season" list.
Take a breath this season and get a little creative with gift giving. Etsy has a surplus of original items. Exchanging a letter with someone as a gift is simple, thoughtful, and timeless. Maybe go out of the ordinary with a bonsai tree, or scope out local thrift stores for forgotten gems. Doing so allows the pressure of the holiday season to dissipate, and the fun times to return.
Love does not correlate with the amount of dollars saved or spent, but manifests in time spent together.
