I love the holidays. Actually, late summer through 31 December is my favorite time of the year. There’s something special that takes place during the long segue from lazy summer days to the hustle bustle of the winter holidays. And, while I’m not thrilled to see Halloween candy displays in July and Santas in September, it’s a sure sign that the crazy time is about to begin.
People are creatures of habit, and old habits die hard. How else can you explain waiting 335 days to begin your holiday gift shopping when you know that the same holiday happens the same time every year? Here in the good old USA, most people wait for the day after our Thanksgiving holiday - also known as”Black Friday,” to motivate us to shop till we drop, or more likely, until our wallets are empty. Insanity and chaos ensue when shoppers line up for the 5 a.m. store opening to buy a Black Friday advertised special (in very limited quantities) for a fraction of the retail price. Does anyone really need a particular item so badly that they would lose a good night’s sleep over it? No. But it proves the power of advertising is strong, and there is a certain sense of satisfaction to say you were one of the lucky few to get that advertised special before it sold out.
With the Black Friday kick off, there seems to be an unwritten rule that allows shoppers to get nasty, and store clerks to become surly. It could be that some people are still crazed from indulging in too much Thanksgiving fare, or perhaps it’s being surrounded by blinking colored lights and caroling toys for months leading up to the holiday that starts to take its toll. Then again, it could be the non-stop playing of the same three holiday songs between ten minutes of non-stop commercials by almost every radio station on the dial. Whatever the reason, some fall victim to the rudeness that strikes even the most mild-mannered person during the holiday frenzy and ’tis the season to be jolly gets more twisted every day.
Each year I think I am not going to succumb to the seduction of sales, but somehow find myself scrambling around with everyone else anyway. I figure that Coca-cola is partly to blame for using the Santa figure in a widely successful, early 20th century advertising campaign. Not only did it solidify the image of Santa that is best known today, it also gave other merchants the green light to showcase their own wares through the power of advertising and the seasonal shopping craze took root.
I tried Black Friday once and that was it for me. I can’t be bothered to wake up at such an ungodly hour, only to duke it out with the mob for the few real bargains offered. This year I’m going to pace myself by shopping during the ‘off’ hours, doing some online shopping, and getting my shopping done as early as possible. Maybe that way when I’m wandering around the stores dazed and confused during the season’s final shopping days, it will be out of habit, not because I’m still searching for that perfect gift.
© 2007 Barbara Dolny
Photo of holiday decor by Barbara Dolny
