I’ve always loved the color pallet of Thanksgiving. The dark orange color of the pumpkin pie is complemented by the burgundy cranberry sauce and the brown, slightly overcooked, dinner rolls. The color has not yet been affected by the coldness brought by the winter. They reflect the loss of chlorophyll in the leaves and the warmth found in being together with others, some of whom you might love. I have a small family, so, my parents and grandmother speak about everything they’re worried about and my brothers speak about their favorite video game that year. After this grande meal, I’m left watching the television.
Many years ago, I remember watching news channels cover the long lines that would begin hours before minutes. It was almost as if stores were giving out TVs for free. Every year, I would ask my mom if we could go Black Friday shopping. She thought a tightly packed shopping mall with obsessive shoppers was not a place for a kid. Additionally, this night had come to be known for violence. According to blackfridaydeathcount.com, there have been 17 deaths and 125 injuries since 2006. Who on Earth could be the creator of that website? It is really useful to find the answer to that sole question. Each case had very different reasons for even starting, it varies from “Glance at attractive woman sparked Memphis mall shooting” to “Shirtless man uses the belt as a whip outside Vancouver Black Friday sale.”
During the Covid pandemic, Black Friday was canceled. However, this false holiday never seemed to come back along like other social events. Newrepublic.com says, “COVID-19 pushed down Black Friday sales in 2020 and 2021, with last year’s sales down 28 percent compared to pre-pandemic levels.” I don’t think the hype from the early 2000s for Black Friday will ever happen again. Although, companies really shouldn’t be complaining about their lack of sales when they aren’t putting out sales the way they used to. Most deals fall at or below 30% off. What happened to 60% off?
It is important to mention the conflict between Palestine and Israel. Many supporters of Palestine began to boycott businesses that fund Israel’s bombing habit. According to the Government Media Office, as of 23 November, more than 14,800 people have been killed in Gaza, including about 6,000 children and 4,000 women. For this reason, the Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC), the largest coalition in Palestinian society, has spread the idea that boycotts of complicit Israeli and multinational corporations can be effective if done strategically. Some examples of companies profiting from the deaths of Palestinian people include McDonald’s, Dominos, HP computers, HD Hyundai, Chevron, and Pumas. Though Starbucks is not a part of this list, many are boycotting them, too.
This year, I didn’t participate in Black Friday, it no longer excites me. Others did not feel the same way. “Black Friday shoppers spent a record $9.8 billion in U.S. online sales, up 7.5% from last year,” said CNBC. However, according to the Adobe survey, $79 million of the sales came from consumers who opted for flexible payment. This does not reflect well on the overall debt of the country, as credit card debt has continued to grow. It has enticed the Federal Reserve to keep on increasing the interest rate so that perhaps people will stop buying so much. Americans are struggling with overconsumption, it is time for minimalism to become trendy.
