To some, Thanksgiving store hours may seem like a great chance to get a jump on their holiday shopping, but those forced to work feel these early Black Friday sales rob them of tradition and quality time with loved ones.
Retailers across the nation this year are preparing to open their doors this Black Friday at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving night, leaving many without the opportunity to enjoy the holiday.
Next to Christmas, Thanksgiving is one of the largest American holidays; it’s wildly celebrated with parades, great feasts, as well as family and friends coming together to eat endlessly at the dinner table.
Black Friday marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. However, this year stores are opening as early as 6 p.m. on the night of Thanksgiving, and those who work will lose a day meant to be spent with family and friends.
“I’m not really crazy or excited about the idea of working on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, but I need the money,” said Rasheed Douyon, 19, a business administration major.
Black Friday and Thanksgiving shopping have become a must in retail, employees have no option to call out or pick their shifts, and it is often the luck of the draw.
Jasmine Pickett, 19, a business and fashion management major from Levittown, said, “I hate working on Thanksgiving. I think it’s ridiculous to cut into family time for an extra five hours of making money. I think they can at least wait until midnight.”
“I don’t think the mall should be opening, they should be encouraging people to spend time with their loved ones. I would rather be at home with my family and son. It was his first thanksgiving last year and I wasn’t able to spend it with him because of work,” said Pickett.
Some are upset about possibly losing an entire holiday with family that they may not always see. Thanksgiving is one of the few times they all come together as a family.
Emily Clark, 20, a phlebotomy major from Fairless Hills said, “Thanksgiving is an important holiday to my family and me because it’s the one time where we can all stop everything and just spend time with one another.”
“I’m working on Thanksgiving now that the mall opens at 6 p.m., and that’s generally the time my family and I sit to eat. I won’t be able to join them for dinner,” said Clark.
Alyesha Thomas, 20, a liberal arts major from Yardley, said, “Thanksgiving is an important holiday to my family. We always have a bunch of people come over to our house family and friends and we just spend the day together being thankful for the people we have in our lives at the moment and enjoy the day together.”
Briana Rowe, 20, a criminal justice major from Morrisville, believes retailers are so focused on making money, they aren’t thinking about how working the holiday affects their employees.
Rowe said, “Thanksgiving is one of the few times in families that people can all come together for something positive, not a funeral or tragedy, and be thankful for the things God allows us to see and the life we get to live.”