Patty Craig: A Slice of Time

Wed, 11/13/2013 - 6:41am — Diane Dyer

Recently, Bowling Green’s WBKO had a story about Black Friday shopping. The story said, “Stores across the country are opening up on Thanksgiving Day because they say that's what shoppers want” (http://www.wbko.com/news/headlines/Black-Friday-Turning-into-Black-Thurs...). On Thanksgiving Day, stores used to be closed.

With predictions of weak consumer spending in the fourth quarter, retailers are trying to be more aggressive (http://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/black-friday-2013-weak/2013/11/08/id/5355...). Some of the major stores that plan to open on Thanksgiving Day (http://bestblackfriday.com/store-hours) include the following:
•    K-Mart will open at 6:00 a.m. Thanksgiving morning;
•    Toys-R-Us will open at 5:00 p.m. Thanksgiving evening;
•    J.C. Penney, Kohl's, Macy's, Sears, and Target will open at 8 p.m. Thanksgiving evening;
•    Wal-Mart is open throughout the day (only closing for Christmas).
The website suggested confirming local store hours before going Black Friday shopping.

I’ve heard different reasons for closing or for opening stores on Thanksgiving Day. Some say that stores should close, allowing employees the opportunity for family time and to enjoy the holiday. Others say that shopping will be their entertainment at the end of the holiday. Ultimately, if people did not want to shop, stores would not open.

My youngest daughter is a Black Friday shopper; she enjoys getting out early and buying as many gifts as she can find. Like most of us, she enjoys finding a good buy, and if possible, she would finish her Christmas shopping within that one day. She has the BlackFriday.fm phone app that provides her with sale items and prices as information is released.

Personally, I don’t want to shop Thanksgiving Day; but, if others do, that doesn’t bother me. Store representatives say that shoppers want them to open on Thanksgiving Day, and I believe them. But, I think I’ll just enjoy my family and give thanks. After all, as of today, I still have six more weeks to prepare for Christmas.

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