From the Daily Record:
A new book by author Bill Bryson refers to growing up in the 1950s and notes that at that time, the lives of children were “unsupervised, unregulated and robustly”physical. “Kids were always outdoors,” he notes.
That was then. Now, it is 2006, and on this day many people of all ages will be inside — inside a shopping mall, that is. Many began the shopping experience before dawn. The herd mentality that accompanies the official start of the holiday shopping season is often criticized as unrewarding and even inhumane. Some decry the fact so many Americas are virtual slaves to commercialism.
There may be some truth to that, but there also is something rewarding about the start of the so-called holiday rush.
The fact that goods are available for Americans to buy — and that we buy them — is very good news. Black Friday would have a very different meaning if the nation was in a Depression.
From Xinhua/China View:
“Black Friday” losing its luster in U.S.
“Black Friday,” which is supposedly when retail stores begin hitting profits for the year, is losing its luster this year, according to U.S. reports Friday.
A couple of trends, such as the change of people’s shopping style, help make it less strained for the shoppers.
It’s called “Black Friday,” because that’s when the ink on retailers’ ledgers goes from red to black, not from a sense of despondency or gloom. Traditionally, “Black Friday” kicks off the Christmas shopping season and shoppers hit the stores prepared to spend lots of money.
“I think retailers have taken away the magic of ‘Black Friday,'” said Looney, owner of The Woods, a chain of gift stores. “What was once a special day for the family has become a big race.”
From Reuters:
Black Friday shopping set for early start
Americans were expected to shake off their turkey-and-cranberry hangovers and hit the stores early on Friday, anxious to start holiday shopping and take advantage of deals offered by retailers including Gap, Macy’s and Best Buy.
Consumers think of the Friday after the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday as a time to snag bargains, freebies and sales. But analysts and investors show up at malls to look for signs of consumer strength or weakness.
They are keeping an especially close eye on holiday sales this year to determine how consumers are holding up in the face of a slowing U.S. housing market.
To help offset any weakness, stores were planning to open earlier than in recent years in hopes that longer hours could turn over more parking spaces and attract shoppers of different ages with different sleep needs.
From the Lahontan Valley News:
Won’t be celebrating Black Friday this year
Yesterday, millions of Americans gave thanks for the many blessings in our lives – friends, family, freedom and the opportunities afforded us by living in what is still widely regarded as the greatest nation on earth.
Today, the day after Thanksgiving, corporate America will give thanks for all the money these same millions of Americans will drop in their stores in what has become the biggest shopping day of the year, affectionately known in chambers of commerce circles as “Black Friday.”
Why do they call it Black Friday?
No one knows for sure, according to Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, which theorizes that it is most likely one of two reasons: 1) This is the day that retailers who tell us they lose money all year finally make a profit, thus moving from “red” to “black” on their profit and loss statements, or 2) The shopping experience is so stressful on this particular Friday that “black” is the only way to describe it.
When can we expect Black Friday sales numbers?
boycott black friday.
Its a hyped up media spin. Save your money.
Spend less the xmas year.
SAS
I mean…
spend less this xmas year and get your tail out of debt.
SAS
Let them shop until they drop, happy shopping days to you!!! In the meantime, they have zero clue;
“The euro on Friday broke through the $1.30 for the first time since April 2005, and kept moving well above that level, as the greenback’s rout continued amid concerns over flagging economic growth in the U.S.”
“Commercial euro/dollar buying has set in and will be joined by hedge funds and other short-term investors jumping on the bandwagon. This move has further legs, bearing in mind that the U.S. is heading toward a hard lending,” said the analysts.”
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/euro-tops-130-level-first/story.aspx?guid=%7BB1219ADF%2DA78D%2D47C8%2DB692%2D8DE0FB576697%7D&siteId=
SAS,
Are you watching your favorite “de facto currency”???
“de facto currency”
you bet, I watch them like a hawk. Most Americans are clueless.
Speaking of de facto…. keep your eyes on Lebanon $$.
SAS
Lets keep drinking our KOOL AID and convert all of North America and Europe to one currency!
Obviously there are some clueless people out there.
JB, FYI:
“Xinhua [News Agency] reports directly to the Communist Party of China’s Propaganda Department”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xinhua_News_Agency
http://www.adbusters.org/metas/eco/bnd/
Yesteday, I bought a package of Tic-Tacs for my eight-year-old, as a reward for riding shotgun with me as I drove my mother back to her assisted living apartment in NE Pa.
AP:
Black Friday Sales Up 6 Percent Over ’05
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/11/25/D8LKBVU81.html