Each Thanksgiving, the arrival of Black Friday looms over the dinner table. The anticipation of the best deals of the year crowds people’s minds as Christmas approaches – but is it really worth it?

Picture this: You’re sitting down at the table for a nice Thanksgiving dinner with your family (in a non-Covid year, of course) and suddenly, your family members get up and rush to the store without even having dessert, because they want to get the best deals on Christmas presents.  Sounds outrageous, right? Well, it is. Sadly enough, this actually happens to families on Thanksgiving. I’ve seen stories about it all over the news and I can’t wrap my head around it. 

Thanksgiving is a time for family to come together and appreciate each other, all while sharing a delicious meal. It is a time to appreciate everything you have and be thankful for all of it. The truth is, immediately after Thanksgiving, a time centered around gratitude, all people care about is getting the best deals at their favorite store. That doesn’t sit right with me, since Black Friday is such a stark contrast from Thanksgiving.

Now, I understand that Black Friday is a perfect opportunity to buy goods at a cheaper price, which can greatly benefit lots of families. And it is pretty nice to get some good deals every now and then, especially right before Christmas, when gifting the perfect Christmas present is a goal that many strive for. Plus, buying items on sale makes you feel less guilty for buying things.

In a normal year, I would spend Thanksgiving with a lot of my relatives, some who live out of state. It’s always super great getting to see them, since I don’t see them too often. It blows my mind that some people would throw away an opportunity to see their family just so they can get a good deal. Spending time with family is much more important than buying cheap goods, and I can’t see how some people value saving money over their family members. 

Are the savings really worth stampeding into a store and running over terrified employees? Physically fighting with someone over a product? Leaving during family dinner to be early in line? Personally, I don’t think so. With lots of store’s deals starting on Thanksgiving night, it takes away from Thanksgiving as a whole. I think there is too much emphasis on Black Friday instead of Thanksgiving.