BY ALLISON BARNARD
Each year, Americans transition into the holidays with the arrival of Black Friday- the day after Thanksgiving characterized by crazed shoppers driven by incredible discounts on everything from computers to cookware. With cars parked for a mile outside of every commercial shopping mall and foot traffic gone rampant, it would seem like Americans are driven by the motivation to purchase their loved ones great holiday gifts at low prices. What a selfless way to kick off the winter holidays! Yet instead of engaging in the encouraged holiday spirit, Black Friday paints a quite frightening picture of Americans and our greed to buy ourselves things we don’t need in less than twelve hours after being thankful for what we do. Cutting in long checkout lines, stealing coveted merchandise, and even cases of trampling are a normal on this “holiday.”
As consumerism has taken over our country, Black Friday has crept earlier and earlier into the beginning of mid-Thanksgiving day, which also happened to be Hanukkah this year. With an official tally of four deaths and ninety injuries this year, the greed of our citizens has shone through to the newspaper headlines, as recorded on blackfridaydeathcount.com. Though we should be appalled by these unfortunate events as well as by the terrible selfish mentality that accompanied this day, the public’s attitude has been generally apathetic. It has just gone to show that material items have gained more value than the company of loved ones, which is something to be said about our priorities these days.
Traditionally, the holidays are a time of good cheer filled with caroling, fresh cookies, and classic Christmas movies enveloping our senses and filling us with a nostalgic and warm feeling. Our happiness has never been fueled by the gifts, but rather by the small details that make it feel like the holidays, even in a South Floridian climate.
Yes, it may be an average of eighty degrees during our “winter” season, but that never stops us from breaking out the obnoxious lawn inflatables, neon lights, and cheery carols. It’s what makes Christmas in Florida, Christmas. We may not have the snowmen or the local pine trees- that’s why it’s so important to keep our spirits strong! What we lack in our everlasting summer climate must be made up for in enthusiasm.
Even the youth- the kids and teens that are supposed to anxiously await the holidays are more excited about a vacation from school than anything else. Winter break has been something we look forward to for a lack of schoolwork rather than a time to spend with the people we love. With such stress built up over sixteen weeks of school and then the pressures of midterms, this two-week break serves as more of a time to sleep in late and watch brain-rotting television than a time to do family-oriented activities.
The holidays are supposed to be a time to relax and enjoy the things that mean most to us, but it is too easy to get wrapped up in material concerns. We should be cherishing the wonderful simplicity of family and the warmth of the holidays.
