Black Friday

Who new? The day after Thanksgiving is now being called "black friday." Maybe I'm just totally out of the loop (it wouldn't be the first time) but this is news to me. I know it's always been the "official" start of the holiday season, (although Christmas decorations and merchandise were appearing in stores as early as Halloween this year) but I had no idea it had been given a name. Anyway, apparently the big thing now is to figure out who is selling what for what price so you can strategically plan where to go shopping. There are actually websites devoted to providing internet surfers with the latest in scanned ads that they have obtained. Some of my family and friends actually strategize about this. They shop as a team, splitting up the list by store, sale and time the store opens. Each person takes a store opening, getting there in plenty of time to be in line when the store opens. Which happens earlier and earlier every year. I hear some stores are offering 24 hours of shopping starting at midnight Friday. CRAZINESS PEOPLE!!! Is this really what Christmas has become? Isn't it suppose to be about being with family and friends? celebrating the birth of Jesus? When and why has it become a race to see who can get the most gifts for their money and standing in line after line, hour after hour?? It really makes me quite ill. I for one will not be going anywhere near a shopping center Thanksgiving weekend. There are more important things in life then trying to get the latest and greatest gadget for cheap - like eating thanksgiving leftovers.