The last few years, Thanksgiving has been fighting to share it's day with Black Friday. The sales begin earlier and earlier, cutting into our dinner time with friends and family. While I enjoy shopping as much as the next person, I prefer a nice plate of turkey, mashed potatoes, and mac and cheese over running through crowds and fighting my way to a pair of sale jeans.
The whole point of Black Friday is to have a whole day of sales starting and ending on Friday. The salespeople don't get to spend time with their families and give thanks while they're watching you fight over a new TV or gaming system. What is the point really to go out at 6 pm, while you could be stuffing your face with pumpkin pie? I mean, come on!
Thanksgiving is a time to remember your family and reflect on what you've been blessed with. I love spending that day (along with many others) spending time with my family from out of town and relaxing, as do most others. It isn't fair to make retail workers slave away all day and night when they could be at home eating dinner and having a good ole time.
My main point here: stay home on Thanksgiving. There's no reason to need to run store from store starting from 5 pm Thursday just to get in line early or to get the best deals. Also, they're kind of lying to you, prices go up before black Friday and then go on sale. You're technically losing money.
The industry isn't going to just stop opening early. If you start ignoring the "sales" presented to you, then we can all start enjoying Thanksgiving as a holiday to be thankful, not to run to Walmart and buy something that you probably don't need. You could always save it for cyber Monday!