27 November 2011

Christmas Shopping

I know the economy is crappy and I don't fault anyone a single second for doing whatever it takes to get a good bargain.  It's pretty sad, though, to hear about people getting pepper-sprayed and trampled or dying people being ignored because the good deals won't stay on the shelf for the people who aren't the quickest.  "Whatever it takes" should have some limits sometimes, or we'll live in anarchy.  I do fault the people who are violent or mean or whatever.

But honestly.  I fault the stores for setting up these sorts of madhouses.  Set up an insane level of competition between people, and no one should be surprised when it turns nasty.   How about a ticket system or say that at random times during the day, three of x product will be available at a secret/random location in the store?  Spread the crowd out a little.  THINK about what other people will do.  As parents of toddlers, we've had to do this forever... consider the grumpy/tired kid and YEAH, set some limits, have some laws.  But structure your environment, too.  Wal-Mart and friends need to think about that.  Mobs are strange sorts of things and it takes just one nut in the bunch to set things off.

I'm not hearing much about people cutting back this year.  People have already cut back for a couple years running, most of them, so I think we're at a new normal now.  Some families I know are really hurting, charities are tapped out and their children will get no Christmas.  Go ahead and tell me Christmas is supposed to be about God coming to the earth, salvation, love, and all those things.  I will agree with you. But parents have to cut toys and Christmas items out before rent, you see.  People are still losing jobs.  I'm worried about some of my friends, how about you?

3 comments:

  1. I agree. The set up of the Black Friday fiasco is America's version of the running of the bulls. I have not and will not participate in such a hysterical frenzy just for someone's Christmas gift.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I go to Penney's every year for black Friday. It was busy, but not that bad. Everybody is home and willing to try on new clothes for Christmas. And ya have to buy an outfit. I turned mine back in on Saturday.

    Joel is still employed, for now, but we are not assured this is an ongoing thing. Most people I know are standing on shaky ground, just thankful to be working.

    There is nothing worth buying that is worth a human life.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I went by a couple of stores Thursday night/into the wee hours of Friday morning. Not my idea. I had guests that wanted to partake.

    We only peeked into the stores that seemed mayhem-my. My guest ended up getting a decent bargain at Target but nothing that couldn't be purchased on line on Monday.

    After standing on line till my legs went numb just to pay for an item, I also deduced that stores should do a lottery system for black Friday.

    ReplyDelete

Non-troll comments always welcome! :)

Bringing Garbage Home

Some people up the street were throwing this table away. It was in pretty bad shape and one of the legs was off. I've glued the leg back...