Blessings to you!
For years I have studied "BlackFridayOlogy." This is the study of the Black Friday phenomena. Yeah...I made it up, but it is a much- needed topic for study.
What is it that makes people so crazy for "bargains?" Well, I believe that over time we have been slowly "groomed" by merchandisers to follow the siren call of the Black Friday hype like glassy-eyed little sheep.
A little history:
50 years ago, going holiday shopping the day after Thanksgiving was a great treat. This was the day that the holiday lights would be turned on, and the stores would reveal their holiday goods. The stores opened at their regular hours, although as Christmas came closer, hours were extended to as late as 10 o'clock p.m.
40 years ago, the average gift would be $5-10 dollars, and a really costly gift would be $25-30 dollars. The focus was on children, and while adults gave to other adults, these gifts were typically modest in cost.
30 years ago, the average price tag on a gift soared, and has not yet stopped. Not only the cost of the gift, but the type of gift became increasingly outrageous. Gifts for adults became larger and larger. Black Friday made its' appearance, first only with special sales.
Today, the Black Friday phenomena has expanded its' reach right into our Thanksgiving celebration, taking the focus off of gratitude for what we have, and strengthening family ties, to a frenzy of greed, fueled by error thoughts of lack and limitation.
Study the commercials you see on television for the subtle little mis-leadings, and the blatant lies. One store has a customer singing about Black Friday, and how at the end she will be done with Christmas. The same store is giving $15 gift cards for each $50 spent. Of course the gift cards have to be used between November 28 and December 5. Of course many of the "sheep-customers" will be back to claim their discounts lest they "lose" something.
What they really lose is money they never intended to spend.The Black Friday mission is to "get 'em shopping, keep 'em shopping." The term "Black Friday" refers to the merchants getting "in the black" through high sales. Unfortunately this puts all too many people "in the red!" This year, don't fall into that trap.
I promise you that there will be sales every week from now through January. There are always good deals to be had, and since God is your constant, abundant, unlimited source of all good, why are you letting this affect you?
You have a choice. Do you want to be a pawn in the holiday shopping game, or do you want to be like Survivor: "out-think, out-play, out-last" Your bankbook will thank you. Mother Earth will thank you. In time, even your children will thank you, for teaching them that the finer things about the holidays are free and available to all!
The "Occupy" movement is everywhere. I invite you to occupy your easy chair on Friday.
What will you occupy on Black Friday?
With wishes of abundance, RevAli
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