Be Nice On Black Friday

Only three more days until one of the biggest events of the holiday season - Black Friday. Most of my friends and family have been talking about it for weeks - figuring out their driving route, planning their stores of attack, deciding which snacks to take.  My only contribution is to remind them to be nice.

You will find me no where near any retail establishment on Friday - and it's not just because I'll be on vacation.   I've been on the other end of that craziness, and it's not pretty.  

Before moving on in my fashion career, I worked for three years as an Area Sales Manager for a clothing chain called Lamonts.  They went bankrupt years ago, but they fell somewhere between Kohl's and Macy's. 

I remember working sixteen hour days in the week leading up to Thanksgiving.  I usually dragged myself home around midnight on Wednesday, and had to be back at 4am on Black Friday.  Actually, I don't think it was called Black Friday back then - and we employees just referred to it as hell.

Lamonts' big day after Thanksgiving promotion was called "A Cracker Jack Of A Sale". Hundreds of boxes of Cracker Jacks filled with gift certificates and coupons were given to customers as they came through the door.  Many people ripped open their boxes, grabbed the prize, and dropped the Cracker Jacks on the floor. To this day seeing a box of them gives me the willies.

Something about the mayhem of that day (and probably the sugar) brought out the worst in people.  Customers were rude, pushy, and downright nasty.  By the time we finally closed the doors, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to make it another season.  And it was only the beginning.  As a manager, I had to work a mandatory six days a week during November and December. Needless to say, for me the holidays were not the "most wonderful time of the year".

Sadly, Black Friday has now crept backwards into Thanksgiving day itself.  Many stores will be open on Thursday, instead of allowing their employees to be home with their families. Yikes - I'm glad I got out when I did.

I can shop with the best of them, and I completely understand the draw of Black Friday. Some of the sales and promotions are too good to pass up, and I shall not judge those who choose to shop.  But while you're out there, please remember to be nice - to your fellow shoppers, to the guy in the parking lot who will not back out of his space, even the crazy eyed woman who cuts in front of you in line.  But mostly to the poor people working that day. Trust me, they need every smile they can get.

Or better yet, shop Small Business Saturday or Cyber Monday.  Lots of good deals to be had - without the threat of being trampled.