Tis the season for a shopper’s paradise. This is the time of year when everyone who loves shopping lives for. There are sales around every corner and an excuse to shop for those they love and care for. However, if you’re anything like me, I do not like shopping. I get so stressed out about buying things for others because I get so nervous that they are going to hate the gift I got them or they are already going to have it. I love sales, but the moment I walk into a store I feel the stress of finding the PERFECT item for the special person in my life. 

Thanksgiving is approaching fast, which means yummy lefse, scrumptious Snicker salad and of course delicious mashed potatoes. But that also means that Black Friday is soon to come. This is the biggest day of the year for most retail stores. They host outstanding sales and extreme hours for those who like to get their gift shopping done the moment they walk into the mall. 

There are lots of different potential reasonings for how Black Friday came to be. One source says that it dates back to the 17th century. Back then, it represented that there was a bunch of exams for school. Another source says it represents the amount of traffic that occurred the day after Thanksgiving or the amount of people that called in sick the Friday after Thanksgiving. 

However, in today’s society many people think that it represents bank accounts. It represents that shoppers go from being in the red danger zone to the black, empty zone because of all the money they spend during the day. 

As I stated before, I do not like shopping. Yet, I work in retail. I love inspiring people and finding cute head-to-toe outfits that make a person feel unstoppable. It is the people that come into the store that makes me love what I do. Watching their faces light up with joy and self-love when they feel confident, is an experience I wish everyone could experience in their life. 

Then again, I tend to be a bad shopper. I am indecisive. I ask way too many questions. The holiday season stresses me out. But what sets Black Friday apart from everything for me is the crowds. I hate crowded spaces and people who don’t have patience. 

According to blackfriday.com, $12.3 billion dollars is predicted to be spent. That is a 25% increase from last year. In 2018, $9.9 billion dollars was spent. Walmart is predicted to be the most successful company on Friday and Amazon is predicted to be the most successful for Cyber Monday. 

A huge controversy throughout the past decade has been if stores should be allowed to open on Thanksgiving night. While I believe that stores should not open until the early hours of Friday morning rather than the night of Thanksgiving this year stores are continuing to give consumers to shop all hours of the night. Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart, Target and Sears will open at 6 pm. Kohl’s, Best Buy, and Macy’s will open at 5 pm. Game Stop will open at 3 pm. JCPenny will open at 2 pm. KMart will open at 6 in the morning of Thanksgiving.