Head-to-Head: Is Black Friday Shopping Worth the Chaos?

For
Written by Jessica Rish Staff Reporter

Black Friday, the official kickoff for holiday shopping, has become a holiday of it’s own. Crowds are lining up at stores just after they finish their last bites of Thanksgiving dinner. 
Many Americans look forward to this day all year long, myself being one of those people. There is natural high that you get from purchasing a present for someone you  love, but it is a even better feeling when you get it for a good price.
The sales on Black Friday allow you to buy a lot without breaking the bank. Some stores have sales that are up to 75 percent off items, which makes waiting in lines worth it.
Staying up until late hours of the night might not be for everyone, but one of the great things about this day dedicated to shopping is getting all of your shopping done at one time. Going shopping on Black Friday means you get your holiday shopping done before December. This is nice, because then you do not have to scramble to pick up presents at the last minute. 
Black Friday is not all about the shopping, it’s also about the social experience. Waiting in long lines is more fun when you have someone to chat with. Personally I like going with my mom and bonding with her. 
Even maybe seeing people you know  or seeing two crazy people fight over the last small sweatshirt at Victoria’s Secret.
If Black Friday is not for you, no need to worry, because Cyber Monday follows this day.  Cyber Monday is just like Black Friday, but all the deals are online. This is a good way to shop because you can get items for a low price and not have to leave your bed. 
During the holiday season, people come together and Black Friday is just the start of that trend.

Against

Written by Claire Strickland Opinion Editor

Thanksgiving, the day everyone gives thanks. This day is ruined, because everyone is focused on going out in the middle of the night, fighting crowds, trying to buy gifts, probably not even for other people. 

The American way of celebrating Thanksgiving now consists of going out at midnight and fighting crowds to buy the specific item they have had their eye on for weeks. Personally, I don’t believe this is the way to celebrate this day full of thanks. I love a good ‘ole day consisting of heartwarming food, full bellies and a whole bunch of laughter. 

You wait for hours to get inside the store and by the time you get inside, you may not even get the item you wanted. If you get the item you were looking for, you then will have to wait for hours while you checkout, possibly spending hundreds of dollars you did not need to spend. 

It’s called Black Friday for a reason. Shopping starts on Friday, not Thursday. These past few years, stores have started opening on Thanksgiving, even though it’s a holiday. People need to be spending this time with their families, giving thanks, not spending more money on more pointless items that do not show how thankful you really are for your family and friends. This also causes retail workers to lose their time to give thanks with their families, all because of a shopping trip that you can do any other time.

I know from past experience that Black Friday does not always work out in the end. Fights happen, people get arrested and people just make bad decisions in general. 

Believe me, I can see the good in it too. Shoutout to the people who are willing to go out all night to buy early Christmas presents. In my opinion, Cyber Monday is much easier and much more convenient. No tackling, waiting in line for hours and you can get even better sales online.

I love shopping and I love buying gifts for others, but I believe we can spend our Thanksgiving in other ways, like giving thanks perhaps.