The Black Friday Takeover Essay -- Hollydays, Thanksgiving

â€Å"Mommy, why didn’t I get what I wanted for Thanksgiving this year?† This question seems absurd in a modern-day context, but in the future, it could be a question that is asked much too often. With holiday-themed advertisements in the media and holiday discount deals already visible on the shelves, it is no wonder that Black Friday and the holiday shopping season are creeping up closer and closer to Thanksgiving. Black Friday is a popular phrase used to describe the chaotic shopping frenzy that takes place every year on the Friday after Thanksgiving. In recent years, the chaos of this so-called â€Å"holiday† has only escalated; consumers are trampling one another to get the best deals, and retailers are scrambling to keep up with their competitors. However, this year, many large department stores in the United States are opening their doors on Thanksgiving day in preparation for Black Friday (Zilman). This unprecedented event brings light to a star tling change in American society. Black Friday’s inevitable takeover of Thanksgiving will ruin the holiday itself and negatively impact traditional familial values because it will force Americans to embrace materialism in place of graciousness. Thanksgiving is a traditional American holiday dating back to colonial times. The commonly-known First Thanksgiving is a story that all American children learn. The Native Americans teach the Pilgrims to grow food to last the winter. At the end of the harvest, the Pilgrims and Native Americans come together to celebrate and give thanks for the friendship they have and for all of the blessings they have received. Modern Thanksgiving, although based off of the First Thanksgiving, has evolved considerably. It is traditionally celebrated by fam... ...Jennifer. â€Å"With Thanksgiving-Night Openings, Do Retailers Risk More Than Busting Doors?† Forbes.com. n.p., 14 Nov 2012. Web. 15 Nov 2013. Stein, Joel. â€Å"Millennials: The Me Me Me Generation.† Time.com. n.p., 20 May 2013. Web. 15 Nov 2013. Tozzi, John. â€Å"The Branding of Black Friday.† BusinessWeek.com. n.p., 20 Nov 2012. Web. 11 Nov 2013. Tuttle, Brad. â€Å"What’s on Tap for Black Friday.† TIMEBusiness.com. n.p., 20 Nov 2012. Web. 16 Nov 2013 Zilman, Claire. â€Å"Why Macy’s relented to an early Thanksgiving opening.† Fortune.com. n.p. 17 Oct 2013. Web. 7 November 2013. â€Å"Black Friday Ads Leaking Earlier Than Ever Before on FatWallet.† PRNewswire.com. n.p., 30 Oct 2013. Web. 13 Nov 2013. â€Å"Restaurant Chains Open Thanksgiving Day.† RestaurantNews.com. n.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. â€Å"10 Things You Didn’t Know About Black Friday.† usnews.com. n.p., 2009. Web. 10 Nov 2013.