Do you.... "Black Friday"?

[Hoopo]

Over the past few years, Black Friday has actually surpassed "Boxing Day" (the Canadian equivalent of Black Friday - right after xmas) as the biggest shopping day of the year in Canada.

Yep. My daughter's birthday is today and shopping for her present has gotten crazier each year for the last 3 years. Even last Sunday night there were lines out the door at the Fido shop. Guess there was some kind of cell phone sale? It's a little weird we have this coincide with American Thanksgiving. I thought it had to do with Americans having days off for Thanksgiving that weekend? But our Thanksgiving is in October and everyone's expected to work in November when our stores decide to throw Black Friday sales. It's obviously working out OK for them but I do wonder if stores here would do even better if they threw Canadian Black Friday sales on Canadian Thanksgiving.

[roenick27]

No. No way. And I hate the entire idea behind it. They make college kids/HS kids miss out on Thanksgiving with their families to work overnight for minimum wage. Its disgusting. There's really no reason not to just do cyber Monday etc imo.

I get that there are some deals, but at what cost?

[2014olympicgold]

No. No way. And I hate the entire idea behind it. They make college kids/HS kids miss out on Thanksgiving with their families to work overnight for minimum wage. Its disgusting. There's really no reason not to just do cyber Monday etc imo.

I get that there are some deals, but at what cost?

I worked at McDs as a teenager, and I had to miss tons of things on weekends because of work, not just holidays. Working holidays wasn’t that big of an issue for me. You get paid more and it’s slow usually. When it’s fast the time goes by fast. I would volunteer to work Christmas Eve night because we closed at like 9pm, so I’d get a 1-9pm shift, no one would come in, and I’d get a crap ton of money. If I didn’t want to work it, I would have to work Boxing day.

I think it’s more BS that places are open at 10pm or later through the week. Most of those employees are highschoolers. I had to do a 4-midnight shift (getting home after 1am usually) sometimes through the week and it was terrible waking up at 6am to go to volleyball/rugby practice the next day, then having school. That’s more BS than holidays in my mind.

[roenick27]

I agree with you on that, but this is unnecessary. Theres no reason to not have black Friday be say 8am-10pm (day off and weekend etc for students). Why does it have to be at 3pm on Thanksgiving or some start overnight. Its unnecessary. That's just that side of the fence too. It's turned people into animals over a TV etc. Sure, the people are at fault for allowing themselves to act that way, but again, it could easily be avoided. Why not Black Friday weekend etc? It could be easily managed.

I worked at McDs as a teenager, and I had to miss tons of things on weekends because of work, not just holidays. Working holidays wasn’t that big of an issue for me. You get paid more and it’s slow usually. When it’s fast the time goes by fast. I would volunteer to work Christmas Eve night because we closed at like 9pm, so I’d get a 1-9pm shift, no one would come in, and I’d get a crap ton of money. If I didn’t want to work it, I would have to work Boxing day.

I think it’s more BS that places are open at 10pm or later through the week. Most of those employees are highschoolers. I had to do a 4-midnight shift (getting home after 1am usually) sometimes through the week and it was terrible waking up at 6am to go to volleyball/rugby practice the next day, then having school. That’s more BS than holidays in my mind.

[forumname]

Who do you guys expect to institute the changes you're suggesting? It starts and ends with willing participants.

[roenick27]

They're exploiting kids. It should be stopped. It has also destroyed Thanksgiving IMO. I wish it was feasible, and with a better economy, maybe it would be, but I would love to see every kid not show up on Black Friday

Who do you guys expect to institute the changes you're suggesting? It starts and ends with willing participants.

[PenguinHunter]

No. we were vacationing in Hawaii two years ago on American Thanksgiving weekend... and we went to the mall to see what Black Friday was all about.... will never make plans to go anywhere near a shopping centre in the states on Black Friday every again!

[The Iron Sheik]

Any good bundurus out there to be had in Canada?

[forumname]

They're exploiting kids. It should be stopped. It has also destroyed Thanksgiving IMO.

Stopped by who? Are you saying the government should step in and restrict business hours? I think we have enough of that already.

And if it has destroyed thanksgiving for you, that's only because you let it. I get annoyed with stuff like this too, and the extent to which shopping and advertising dominates our society makes me sick. But instead of demanding somebody do something about it, I just choose to opt out. Much more effective.

If dinner with the family is important and the kid absolutely has to work that day, you could always just have the special family dinner the next night. If family togetherness is what you're advocating here, it shouldn't have to be squeezed into the predefined holiday box.

[gainerama]

Over the past few years, Black Friday has actually surpassed "Boxing Day" (the Canadian equivalent of Black Friday - right after xmas) as the biggest shopping day of the year in Canada.

I have a very effective strategy for dealing with Black Friday... I usually hit the stores now, buy what I like at regular price - and then come back on Black Friday week (yes it's a whole week here) with my receipt and get a price adjustment. That way I get first dibs on all the selection and best of all I don't have to deal with crowds.

I'm definitely not the type to wake up super early, fight the stampeding crowds or even worse - camp out at night - to get access to the sales. You couldn't pay me enough to deal with that circus...

This is possibly the best advice that I've ever read on this board in 6 years!

[2014olympicgold]

They're exploiting kids. It should be stopped. It has also destroyed Thanksgiving IMO. I wish it was feasible, and with a better economy, maybe it would be, but I would love to see every kid not show up on Black Friday

I think most teenagers don’t mind being away from their family. Most work with their friends, so it not that bad. If they didn’t like it so much, they can quit, it’s disposable income usually. And if it’s not, they have bigger issues than being late, or leaving early to a Thanksgiving dinner.

[roenick27]

Its a huge family tradition (and travel time where family has the ability to travel). These kids are being forced to work on Thanksgiving, or lose their job(where else can a 16 year old really work?). Its not right. The government should step in if the billion dollar companies are exploiting children. Absolutely. Not to mention that people have been killed, trampled etc.

I don't care. I wont partake nor would I allow my kids to (if they were older). its gross, disgusting, and frankly, not safe. Im not letting a 16 yo daughter out to work at 3 am. No thank you.

Its just not necessary and plain wrong.

Stopped by who? Are you saying the government should step in and restrict business hours? I think we have enough of that already.

And if it has destroyed thanksgiving for you, that's only because you let it. I get annoyed with stuff like this too, and the extent to which shopping and advertising dominates our society makes me sick. But instead of demanding somebody do something about it, I just choose to opt out. Much more effective.

If dinner with the family is important and the kid absolutely has to work that day, you could always just have the special family dinner the next night. If family togetherness is what you're advocating here, it shouldn't have to be squeezed into the predefined holiday box.

[forumname]

Its a huge family tradition (and travel time where family has the ability to travel). These kids are being forced to work on Thanksgiving, or lose their job(where else can a 16 year old really work?). Its not right. The government should step in if the billion dollar companies are exploiting children. Absolutely. Not to mention that people have been killed, trampled etc.

I don't care. I wont partake nor would I allow my kids to (if they were older). its gross, disgusting, and frankly, not safe. Im not letting a 16 yo daughter out to work at 3 am. No thank you.

Its just not necessary and plain wrong.

Good, don't let them work those jobs if that's how you feel! That's an appropriate response. Asking the government to step in and disallow it isn't, in my opinion.

Why should the government step in to protect your family tradition? If it's your family tradition, make it work!

To your other point, there are plenty of jobs for kids outside of retail. I started working at 13 or 14 and never worked in retail or fast food. I reffed hockey, washed dishes, mowed lawns, shoveled sidewalks, etc. Occasionally I would be "forced" to work on holidays, but I would either suck it up and work around it, or sack up and tell my boss it wasn't happening. The great part about losing a shitty job is that it's easy to replace.

[roenick27]

I agree to an extent. The issue to me, tradition aside, is that they are exploiting children. If they want to make a 25 y/o work. It sucks, but that adult can make that decision. A 16 y/o, in reality, can not. They are minors.

Good, don't let them work those jobs if that's how you feel! That's an appropriate response. Asking the government to step in and disallow it isn't, in my opinion.

Why should the government step in to protect your family tradition? If it's your family tradition, make it work!

To your other point, there are plenty of jobs for kids outside of retail. I started working at 13 or 14 and never worked in retail or fast food. I reffed hockey, washed dishes, mowed lawns, shoveled sidewalks, etc. Occasionally I would be "forced" to work on holidays, but I would either suck it up and work around it, or sack up and tell my boss it wasn't happening. The great part about losing a shitty job is that it's easy to replace.

[2014olympicgold]

I agree to an extent. The issue to me, tradition aside, is that they are exploiting children. If they want to make a 25 y/o work. It sucks, but that adult can make that decision. A 16 y/o, in reality, can not. They are minors.

the 16 yr old also decided to work in a place that does Black Friday sales. THere's jobs that dont have BFS.