I hope all you folk in the United States have had a
wonderful Thanksgiving Day. I celebrated
this with you all last year, as I was staying with my daughter in Arizona at
the time. A great day for family, and
marvelous to have a day set aside to be thankful for all your blessings.
I missed being with her and her husband this year. Last year was so awesome - it is a pity I cannot join them every year like this.
I missed being with her and her husband this year. Last year was so awesome - it is a pity I cannot join them every year like this.
 |
| Thanksgiving preparations 2018 |
 |
| Thanksgiving dinner 2018 |
The next day, I know, is Black Friday with all its sales and
then I believe that is followed with Cyber Monday and more sales. What I take exception to is our retailers
grabbing hold of the Black Friday idea and trying to promote sales.
We don’t have Thanksgiving, or Cyber Monday, and we are not
American. Why then, have we had all
these advertisements all week for “Black Friday Week?”
I am sure a lot of New Zealanders, especially older ones,
have no idea at all what the retailers are talking about. When I was growing up, a black Friday was
Friday the Thirteenth with all its attendant superstitions. And yesterday was the 29th
November, not the 13th.
When I sit down and think about it, this “week” of sales
with the label of “black Friday” is just another grab by retailers to try and
convince people to spend more. It is not
like any of the sale prices they offer are even anything fantastic, being just
normal sales items and the usual sales prices.
Who do they think they are kidding?
Not that anything I say or do will change anything. Our local businesses have now added a
different reason to deck themselves out, fitting it in between the (recent to
this country) celebration of Halloween and the coming celebration of Christmas
and the holiday season.
I wonder what the next retail bandwagon will be?
Don’t be fooled by advertising!
Margaret.
Black Friday is here in Canada too though our Thanksgiving is early in October. I stayed home today. No shopping for me in that confusions of the crowds.
ReplyDeleteI had to make an unavoidable trip into town this afternoon; the crowds were horrible. So many people are so gullible.
DeleteAs Marie has commented, Black Friday has come to Canada too. We stay at home and avoid it. Didn't even do the normal Friday morning grocery shopping. We had a lovely peaceful walk around the lake and enjoyed a peaceful day.
ReplyDeleteA lovely peaceful walk sounds wonderful :)
DeleteI don't understand it either - I think it's just our retailers attempt at riding on other country's coat tails.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I am fed up with all their ads about it. I think they must be motivated by greed.
DeleteIt is the same here in Australia. Unbelievable! It is all about money.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right, I am sure it is all about money. The worst of it all, it seems to work for the retailers as so many people follow right along with it all.
DeleteWe live in Kansas, and I'm proud to say we've NEVER done anything remotely related to Black Friday or Cyber Monday shopping. What little there is of our finances goes for just day to day living, soooo... We can't stand all the holiday advertising and avoid it as much as possible. We stick with the reason for the season - Jesus! Blessings to you, Margaret! ♥
ReplyDeleteThank-you for your blessings, Diana, and well-done you for avoiding all this ridiculous grabbing for our hard-earned money. So many people go into needless debt because they have succumbed to advertising ploys.
ReplyDeleteThis is the second year that Greeks have latched onto black Friday too. A lot of advertising hype. It goes on over the weekend and includes Monday too. I suppose a lot of people do shop during this period but around here it's life as usual, wintery and quiet
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be a trend starting up around the world. I see on the TV tonight that many places have "extended" their sales through to include Monday.
DeleteYes, that and Halloween - just for the retailers. I keep away from the shops.
ReplyDeleteI try to stay away from them as well. I wonder what fancy day the retailers will pick up on next.
DeleteSo much pressure to buy things and often things we don't really need or want. There was a couple on our TV who were at the end of their tether worrying about the £60,000 pound debt they had got their family into - what a gift for their children - I felt sad for them. In the end they were advised to file for bankruptcy just so they could sleep at night. They didn't even have much to show for that £60,000 just frittered away.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, one hears of a lot of people who have sadly got themselves into financial strife and it is even sadder that they often have nothing or very little to show for it.
DeleteWe have Black Friday and all its madness here in the UK as well. I avoid going out anywhere on days such as this and also Bank Holidays - everyone goes crazy! As you say the sales aren't even that spectacular anymore...it is just a label.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a lovely time with your family in the USA last year. Great memories.
I did have a lovely time. If the USA wasn't such a long way away I would visit them a lot more.
DeleteWe loved having you visit too! xx
DeleteI agree with you about Black Friday. Retailers here have latched into it too. Never a big fan of shopping, the thought of jostling with all those other shopping fanatics is enough to keep me away!
ReplyDeleteI hate shopping in crowds; would much rather be able to browse quietly through a shop looking for what I want and avoid all that noise and confusion.
DeleteIt is the same in Norway. It is all about MONEY, MONEY. And I can't believe why people go like crazy, the prizes are not so good! It started in 2010 here, with one outlet shop. Soon all shops had Black Friday. Except for the small, local stores that are not able to cut prices this way. There has been a campaign that encourages people to shop at the small local stores. Halloween was also imported to Norway by the retailers. There was no tradition at all for it here, it was only something we had seen on TV or movies from US. I think it's sad that people can get carried away this way. After all, It would have been better to start celebrating Thanksgiving, which has values with gathering family and to be thankful. But of course, the retailers would have changed that to money too!
ReplyDeleteWe never used to have Halloween either. I think it would be wonderful to have a day similar to Thanksgiving to celebrate, but, as you say, the retailers would still find a way to make money out of it.
Delete