reflections on black friday

First of all, no. Not just no. Heck no. Hell no.

I have no problem at all with Friday. Me and Friday go way back. Friday means fun. Friday means the weekend. Friday means work goes bye bye for at least a couple of hours.

Black Friday? No.

Black Friday is a symptom of a larger issue. When I start talking about a Friday being a symptom of something, there are problems. 

First of all, there's the name: dead giveaway. 

Black Friday got its name because retailers wanted the pre-Christmas boost for their profits. "In the black" means to make a profit. It doesn't mean that retailers want to sell you a 54" television for $200 out of the goodness of their little corporate hearts. In fact, they don't want to sell you a 54" television for $200. They just want to get you in the front door and dazzle you and mesmerize you with shiny merchandise.

Which brings me back to hell no.

I work very hard. I earn my paycheck in ways it's best not to describe. I earn every single penny. Do I need a new TV? No. Even though the DVD player in the one I have no longer works? But what if it's only $200 ...?

I don't care.

But what about deals on gifts for family? Don't they deserve the best? Yes, they do. They deserve the very best. Better than the best, even though that's a logical impossibility.

And what is 'the very best'?  

I'd say 'the very best' is not bought from a store. It is me. They deserve me and all of the love I can muster for them. And they deserve it every day of the year, not just when retailers see December 31st headed toward them.

I will be taking my son to see Rogue One for a holiday treat this year. Sure, it'll be a blockbuster, but it'll also be a memory. I will be buying my sister a scarf my friend Melissa is making for her that she sells through her etsy shop. We've had dinner at her house, and it's how she makes a living. Last year, I got old shoe lasts and painted them like I did with this one for my friend, Deb (and I still need to get it to her, so guess what she'll be getting this year!):

True, a wooden shoe last and a scarf are stuff. I'm not anti-stuff at all. What I am is pro-thoughtfulness. When I see people physically battling one another for a box filled with something that was made with questionable labor practices so that a company worth a gazillion dollars can make another sale, it doesn't strike me as overly thoughtful. I don't know the story behind it, though. I shouldn't judge, but it doesn't look good ...

Anyway, today is Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday is creeping up on us. This whole weekend has been, is, and will be about sales. Please be thoughtful about when and where and how you spend your money. It doesn't need to be about flash or deals. It can be about something as simple as love. That's what holidays are supposed to be.