Alternate for Black Friday?

[BuilderBill]

How about for Black Friday and the weekend we all stayed home and just worked on something in the shop(or whatever passes for a shop)? Or just cleaned up or organized things or sat in front of the TV and watched the soaps or football or whatever?

Maybe did something a little different like spending time with the family instead of holing up in the basement creating noise and dust?? Or do something healthy like going for a walk or riding the bicycle you bought three years ago and ridden exactly once?

Personally, I'm in somewhat of a quandary and haven't a clue what to do with myself... For the last ten years a group of us have spent the weekend after Thanksgiving camping in the Nantahala Gorge, socializing and fly fishing and doing whatever adult males do when they get away for the weekend and getting lubricated with copious amounts of alcohol in the process. But last year my best fishing buddy(the organizer of this annual debacle) sold his camper(my personal source of a soft bed,hot breakfast and heat) and we tent-camped until it rained and then spent the rest of the weekend in the nearest motel. This year he's working retail and it looks like the era has passed..... RIP Grizzz's Annual Turkey Day Weekend on the Nantahala, it was great while it lasted. But all good things must come to an end I'm told, and now I'm stuck at home for the upcoming weekend.

Personally, I'm opting for the noise and dust. I was working on a couple of shop cabinets when SWMBO saw them and decided they would be Just The Thing for the kitchen she's been wanting to upgrade for years. Never mind that I'd promised her I'd build her new cabinets next Spring(of 2006 ), she wants these particular cabinets and she wants them NOW! All the pieces are cut, the boxes are assembled and finished, all I have to do is bore the doors for hinges, spray the doors and shelves and haul them upstairs and do the install. TWC calls for rain Friday so I'm figuring I'll install the bases after work, spray the doors/shelves Saturday and finish up Saturday night or Sunday morning.

Which doesn't leave a lot of time for shopping.....

That got me thinking: Just when the hell did the Friday after Thanksgiving become "Black Friday"? Why is it called "Black Friday"? Whatthehell is so special about that particular day that we should all run out to play in hellish traffic just to max out our credit cards? On Thursday we give thanks for what we've been blessed with, the next day we're expected to forget all those blessings and run around like beheaded chickens just to boost some retailer's bottom line? WTF is up with this? Am I missing something?

Yeah, I've gotten the same umpteen-jillion emails you all have gotten, 15% off on this and 25% off that, buy this get that free, we'll wash your car if you park in our lot, put your firstborn through college, etc., ad nauseum. I've seen things I'd like to have at decent prices, offers to tempt me to brave The Traffic Hell and Just Go Out and Spend Money I Don't Have. Then I think these ads and emails are created by people who are every bit as good or(much more likely) better at doing what they get paid for as I am and I start to think....

What if we all stayed home? Yeah, there might be something On Sale that you think you need but chances are, you've already got more "Stuff" than you know what to do with(if you're anything like me). Would Woodcraft or Rockler or Highland or any of the Big Box Stores lock their doors and file for bankruptcy Monday morning if you didn't show up this weekend? Would Amazon go off-line? Would Sam Walton start spinning in his grave like an OF1400 on 6? Somehow or other, I think they'd survive. Maybe they'd have to back off a little on their markup and offer better customer service for the rest of the year but think of it as evolution in action: Satisfy your customers day in and day out instead of screwing them all year long and throwing them a bone for a month. What a novel concept...

This is degenerating into a rant so I'm gonna call it a day and sign off. Gotta get up and sand in the morning then prep for a big family gettogether tomorrow afternoon, see all the kids I remember in diapers that are old enough to buy me drinks now and wonder how all of a sudden I got so old... And then remember to be thankful I 'm still here to wonder...

Best to all of you and your loved ones,

Bill

[mlehikoinen]

Our equivalent to that is Boxing day in Canada on Dec 26th and I have the same opinions. Why allow yourself to be beguiled by the corporate giants that only care about profit ? Yes, not all companies are like that and I'll support those that aren't. Now, off to get my WW t-shirt

Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving to all of you celebrating it on this day.

[Guest Trace]

My understanding is "Black Friday" is the day when retailers go from red ink to black ink on the profit and loss ledger or what ever they call it. I would advise doing the shopping all year long if you have a good place to hide the stuff. There is no amount of discount that can get me into a mall or shopping center from now 'till after Christmas/Hanukkah (we celebrate both). Hanukkah starts Dec. 1, then Christmas 17 days later. Being the only person of the one faith, I appreciate the tolerance and actual interest in Judaism shown by Managements family. The little ones Great nieces and nephews) enjoy Hanukkah for the little gifts given and the special foods that they don't get to eat the rest of the year. So, I leave the SHOPPING TRIPS to the rest of the family because they enjoy the time spent together. Happy Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, and Boxing Day to all.