Does anyone know what Black Friday means? Not the stock answer that that’s the day business head into the black. Apparently businesses don’t make any profits until the day after Thanksgiving. The story about that is for another time.
To me Black Friday denotes a day. Stores would have big sales for one day only and sell lots and lots of goods at small margins. Then they started opening at midnight. Best to get the early shoppers. Next came Thanksgiving evening, figuring people had had enough of family and it was time to fight over a stuffed puffin! 
People started camping out in front of Best Buy. Tent cities sprung up in front of, and down the street from all kinds of retailers.
The rise of the internet allowed people to shop at home on Black Friday and spend even more money because they didn’t have to push through the crowds for that one special, very special stuffed puffin.
Over the last number of years we have seen the rise of Black Friday Week. Now we have gone too far. I saw my first ad on tv for a Black Friday Sale on November 1st and the sale was STARTING THAT DAY!!
Black Friday now has no meaning. The fun is gone. Having one day to get that special gift (whether for yourself or someone else). If they run out you get to rant and rave and maybe cause a little havoc along the way. Oh what fun that must be! 
I have never been to a store on the real Black Friday but now that it has become Black November it doesn’t matter what day I go, everyday is Black Friday!
So when I see that stuffed puffin at WalMart I will run and push and shove, maybe kick and bite, to get there first. That will be my first Black Friday purchase and it may happen 3 weeks early!
Not the story you thought you were going to get with that title is it?
The Word By Namdoog Kir 