Cardboard boxes pile up on porches and doorsteps as the holiday season encroaches. The convenience of online shopping has made in-person errands much less practical; if you can pile up presents under your tree with only the click of a button, why go through all the hassle of Black Friday?
From the 1990s to the mid-2010s, the insanely cheap sales following Thanksgiving had customers camping overnight outside of stores to get the best Christmas deals. Unsurprisingly, this often ended in frenzied shoppers arguing over who grabbed a gift first, and, sometimes, in physical fights. Despite the controversy surrounding Black Friday, many wonder if the in-person experience played an integral role in the holiday season.
The tradition of holiday shopping has left several B-CC students with chaotic memories of Black Friday. Senior Molly Gibbons shares, “I’ve been to a Best Buy [sale]. It was kind of crazy…There were definitely a bunch of lines, and people kept pushing everyone out of the way, but I remember my family going relatively early. So, we got our hands on everything we needed and were out there as fast as we could before it got messy.” Senior Wyatt Stark shares a similar opinion, stating, “It was chaotic [and] stressful, but also fun. Kind of felt like a game.”
Due to the rise of online shopping in the 2020s, Black Friday is no longer what it used to be. Cyber Monday is a marketing term for e-commerce transactions on the Monday after Thanksgiving. It was created by retailers to encourage people to shop online, and many rely on Cyber Monday to ensure they snatch great deals. Gibbons adds, “[I prefer] online sales all the way. Because there’s usually free shipping, and, sometimes, if you spend over a certain amount, you get a free gift. And it’s just less hectic—you don’t have to fight people. You might have to fight for your size, but that’s not as bad.” Stark agrees, “I like shopping online, and everything has moved more online anyway. I mean, there’s even ‘online-only’ sales.”
Whether you participate in the Black Friday or Cyber Monday craze usually depends on what you want to buy. Cyber Monday often does bigger sales for electronics and appliances, while Black Friday focuses more on clothing and beauty supplies. “I think that if you know exactly what you need to buy for the holidays, for family or friends, just buy it online, and it’s less of a hassle for you. But if you’re unsure what to buy and kind of or just poking around for some inspiration, then go in person,” adds Gibbons.
This year, Barons should try to experience both Black Friday and Cyber Monday to the fullest extent. On Friday, go out to the mall and huge department stores harboring major sales, and see how much you come away with. On Monday, sit down at your desk, light a cozy pine tree-scented candle, and sip on a peppermint hot chocolate while you shop for gifts online to truly immerse yourself in those holiday vibes. You’ll end up with a huge haul and a preference for your favorite post-Thanksgiving shopping method.
