Black Friday frenzy

As Thanksgiving nears, many are excited to spend time with their families, eat good food and focus on what they are thankful for. But others look forward to getting deals on hot products.
Black Friday: a day filled with spending copious amounts of money and running people over to find the best sales. Recently, Black Friday shopping has started earlier and earlier, now beginning on Thanksgiving Day. Walmart’s Black Friday in-store deals start at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving and go all night into Friday.  Some people even ditch their families on Thanksgiving and head over to retail stores to fight to the death over the best deals.
Using the word “death” is not even a metaphor here: In 2008, a Walmart employee died on Black Friday after being trampled by the eager crowds. He lost his life because people cared more about getting good deals than  a human life.
Where does this madness end? Of course we love a good deal, but when the holiday gets clouded by this, we draw the line.
Shoppers are able to decide whether they want to scour Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving or stay home with their loved ones. But many workers aren’t so lucky. As stores open earlier each year, workers must say goodbye to their families earlier to go to work.
However, some companies, like REI, are attempting to prevent this by closing on Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Online REI orders are not even reviewed and processed on these days. Companies like this are trying to preserve the true meaning of Thanksgiving. Even Target is trying to make a change, although minimal. The retail giant will open from 6 p.m. to midnight on Thanksgiving and reopen at 6 a.m. on Black Friday.          Black Friday shouldn’t start until after Thanksgiving Day has ended so that people have time to spend with their families. When you’re contemplating going to Target at 6 p.m., ask yourself: Do I need a new laptop or should I spend time with the family I don’t get to see every day?