More Black Friday Madness

This goes into the "Now I've Heard Everything" category......

On CNN this morning, there was a report about people already camping out in tents in front of the "Best Buy" stores.  They had generators to keep warm, food to eat, cots to sleep on.  As if that wasn't madness enough... and if adults want to do that, then fine, knock yourself out..... but they had their children with them. Small children bundled up in snow-suits and boots and hats and scarves.  One question for all of those adults:  "Are you out of your freaking mind?!"

So here's the Thanksgiving memory those parents are giving to their children:  Sleeping and eating in a tent in the parking lot of Best Buy for three days before Thanksgiving.  (And what are they doing for bathroom facilities when the store closes at night?)

And here's what those parents probably don't know:   Prices are inflated in those stores all year long, the planning of which begins the day after this Black Friday, so they'll be all set for next year's Black Friday.  So when they cut prices for this so-called best shopping day of the year, those prices are so inflated that even with the door-busting price tags, the stores are still making a huge profit.  And the losers are the customers, who more than likely are using credit cards and racking up bills..... and if they can't pay those bills in full by the end of January, they are wiping out whatever small percentage they think they have saved.

Honestly, is all of that worth sleeping in a tent on a concrete parking lot?  Give me a blessed break.

I absolutely hate, hate, hate what the retail world is doing to all of the holidays, with Christmas being at the top of that list.  But until everyone stays home and enjoys a Thanksgiving dinner with their family and friends, stores will continue to open their doors before most of us have had a slice of pumpkin pie after the turkey dinner.