We've officially entered the holiday season, everyone. Seems like just yesterday I was stuffing my face with Halloween candy and now it's time to stuff my face with turkey and, well...stuffing. Who doesn't love the holidays? The months of October through December are the three months of the year where it is deemed appropriate to eat an absurd amount of food and not feel bad about it because it's part of the holiday tradition. For college students, the holiday season is the best part of the year because we can go home to our dogs and eat food that doesn't make us want to order Dominos for the fifth time that week. Another great part of the holiday season is, of course, buying gifts for your family members and loved ones. Christmas is still one month away, but Americans know that the best time to get great deals on holiday gifts is to get up before the crack of dawn the day after Thanksgiving and gorun to the mall.

This Friday I will set my alarm for 4:00 a.m., crawl into my car, and drive to the mall to go shopping. While some may think I am slightly insane for doing this, I love this holiday tradition that my mom, my sisters, and I participate in. Black Friday is known for being one of the craziest and most life threatening days for shopping. Yes, shopping can be dangerous and when you add thousands of sleep-deprived people and half-priced flat screen TVs, there will be mobs. Retailers everywhere participate in Black Friday by offering incredible deals for shoppers who can get to their stores before the sun comes up. Many people argue that Black Friday takes away from the true meaning of Christmas because everyone becomes obsessed with material objects and money and they don't focus on being thankful and enjoying time with loved ones. While for some this may be true, I personally think Black Friday supports the spirit of Christmas.

When I arrive at the mall this Friday, hopefully by 6:00 a.m., I need to have a game plan in mind. Every Christmas I need to buy gifts for my parents, my three siblings, my boyfriend, and my friends. I do not settle on gifts for the people I love because every one of them deserves to have a gift that means something to them, because they mean so much to me. While that is a cheesy sentiment, it really is an incredible feeling to give back to the people you care about. Christmas is a time for me to spoil the people I love with gifts that I purchased using the money I've earned from working. I will run from store to store, searching for deals on high-priced items, not for myself, but for others.

Like many others who wake up early for Black Friday, I need to take advantage of the deals offered because I do not have the funds to buy the gifts my family deserves when they are full-priced. I don't buy expensive gifts because I'm obsessed with material items and my loved ones won't appreciate a gift unless its designer. I buy expensive gifts because I'd rather spend my own money on others, rather than on myself. Black Friday allows me to do this and while I have to get up early to get the deals, it is always worth it. Black Friday does not ruin the holiday spirit of giving and being thankful because it is a day of spending money, rather, Black Friday enhances the spirit of giving and being thankful because it is a day where people can spoil the ones they love with gifts they would not be able to afford on any other day. The best part about shopping on Black Friday, is that I can now relax the rest of December and appreciate my time with my family. I'm not ashamed of being a Black Friday shopper and I will gladly sacrifice my sleep and money to get deals on gifts for my loved ones because you can't put a price on the happiness that comes with giving to others.