Blog Nine: 'Tis the Season... But is it Worth it?

Thanksgiving is now behind us, which can only mean one thing... It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... EVERYWHERE!

Yes, that's right, 'Tis the season for advertisement OVERLOAD! From newspaper inserts, to internet ads and of course the endless television commercials, our halls will be decked with advertisements of this years hottest gifts and gadgets until next year!

It seems as though this time of year has become all about consumption, rather than what it's intended for- giving. I mean just look at the entire concept of Black Friday.

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving here in the U.S. is the largest shopping day for Americans. Once we are done giving thanks for everything we are lucky to have in our lives and filling up on turkey and stuffing, we brave the cold weather, the late night and early morning hours, and most of all the CROWDS in order to score what's sure to be the season's hottest gifts at widely discounted prices.

And while Black Friday sales offer shoppers great discounts, they come with a slight danger. In 2008 a Walmart employee in a New York store was trampled to DEATH by shoppers rushing into the store.

A fight breaks out in a Target parking lot

It seems as though Black Friday brings out the worst in consumers as fights break out among shoppers over merchandise, leading to injuries ranging from minor cuts and scrapes, to severe injuries requiring hospitalization, and even death.

While consumers are in competition in order to get their hands on the limited number of products available at such steep discounts, the retailers are also in a price war with their competitors over which store offers the lowest price, which store posts their sales flyers first, and more recently- which store opens the earliest.

The trend of Black Friday has lead to the rising trend of stores opening on Thanksgiving day in what is referred to as Gray Thursday. Big-Box stores such as Target, Walmart, and Best-Buy in certain states now open on Thanksgiving night, as early as 6 p.m. 

One of Target's many Black Friday Ads this season

With consumers lobbying for the first spots in lines, this seems to leave no room for Thanksgiving dinner as some dedicated consumers may line up as early as 9 p.m. Wednesday night, the day BEFORE Thanksgiving.

So is it really worth standing in line for days, missing Thanksgiving with your family, risking your life just to get a good deal on a TV? Think twice about what this season is really all about.