Comments | chrissigrl: we're in the black

chrissigrl

we're in the black

Nov 26, 2009 23:30

Does anyone remember when this whole "Black Friday" thing caught on ( Read more... )

Comments 7

effluvia November 27 2009, 06:14:25 UTC

I know! When I was growing up, the family would all merrily venture to a store or two to see if we could find anything good. But it wasn't ever a frenzied thing to like, have a game plan for. What is it that people need so friggin badly? Are the deep discounts really so satisfying? The last time I went to look at Macys or whatever on black friday all there was left were all the weird, picked over sizes and colors. I don't need a XXL chartreuse pullover.

chrissigrl November 27 2009, 17:41:40 UTC

I'm really starting to think, if things keep going the way they are, by 2025 Black Friday Shopping will be officially recognized as an Olympic Sport. I think people get a big adrenaline rush from the running and the grabbing? I have a friend who picks a deal every year and he's dead set on getting it. He got a laptop one year for something like $200. Another year he got an ipod for like $45. But he has to sleep outside the store starting at something like 6PM the night before, so he misses all the Turkey deliciousness. Deliciousness is more important to me than a cheapo ipod.

effluvia November 29 2009, 05:24:15 UTC

So it really is the whole black friday experience as opposed to just the low prices? Like the community of sleeping outside the Best Buy with all your fellow conspicuous consumers? Like Woodstock, except different!

tawdryjones November 27 2009, 15:40:29 UTC

I don't get it at all. I remember as far back as 1996, wondering why there was a huge line outside a sports goods store at the ungodly hour of 7am the day after Thanksgiving. I had to get into work before everyone else to open the bookstore where I worked but why would anyone voluntarily get out of bed early TO STAND IN LINE?! That was when I was introduced to this Black Friday nonsense. I hope I never understand the appeal.

chrissigrl November 27 2009, 17:49:49 UTC

So it started some time in the mid90's, you think? Maybe it's backlash from the Tickle Me Elmo travesty of '95? Before that, I can't really remember any "I GOTTA GET IT FOR MY KID!" toys except for the Cabbage Patch Kids back in the early 80's (by the way, I got one that year. My mom was on tour and the bus was driving through some backwoods hick town, she saw a ToysRUs from the window and made the driver stop and she ran out and grabbed one for me and one for my cousin, and Phyllis Jodie and Gracie {middle name I can't remember} traveled with the instrument cases for the rest of the tour. I think we were the only kids on the block who got them that year).

Does it count at Black Friday Shopping if you did it online? Two of my regular shopping sites had free shipping only this morning, so I did that. But it was from the comfort of my own bed, and I didn't even crush anyone to death, so it might not be validated as legitimate Black-Fridaying.

tawdryjones November 27 2009, 18:59:11 UTC

A mid-90s origin sounds about right. At that time, my aunt and uncle spent Thanksgiving night clipping coupons. They'd get up early for Black Friday but not 3am or, as it seems people are doing now, pulling an all-nighter.

That's an impressive story about your mom getting you a Cabbage Patch Kid! I was living in Japan at the time and watching the store fights on TV...while we had tons on the shelves there that no one wanted. I was horrified by my American peers. I'd rather miss the deal of my life than be in those crowds.

d_willrobinson November 27 2009, 19:15:12 UTC

My first job out of college in an engineering office, I (and most others) worked the day after thanksgiving. That was the early-80's. Interesting as well is how many colleges have break the entire week. I had classes Wednesday and had to get my ass home Wednesday night. Ahhh, the good, old days.