Black Friday

According to Wikipedia Black Friday is an informal name for the Friday following Thanksgiving Day in the United States. The day after Thanksgiving has been regarded as the beginning of the United States’ Christmas shopping season since 1952.  In the UK online shopping and commercial pressure has extended this 24 hour period to include the weeks leading up to this date. The fever for bargains and the impetus for a spend, spend, spend mentality has become well established.

Preparation for gatherings, gifts, good food and fun company is the catalyst for Black Friday. The thinking is prepare in advance so we can relax and enjoy time together without stress and last minute shopping.

Americans are being urged to stay at home this year and not to sit around a multigenerational table as we in the UK may well be asked in 35 days’ time. Abandoning traditional gatherings has been described as Orwellian state control but has Black Friday a new meaning in this pandemic year? 

Instead of being angry, saddened or frustrated at government measures could we perhaps have a new view of Black Friday? Instead of January 2021 arriving with its anticipated physical or financial hangover made worse by Brexit could Black Friday 2020 be a new viewpoint?  Perhaps it could make us think of new and safe ways to celebrate in new ways?

Many people are now dependent on food banks and suffering from lockdown and loss of earnings. Driven to ask for help from desperation not desire. So perhaps the real meaning of a good deal this year could be how we choose to spend time and our money in different ways? 

Charity at this time of year is often welcomed but more as an afterthought than a main event. Perhaps Black Friday 2020 could be our turning point to shine a light in a dark place? Instead of spending time, or money as we always have, perhaps we can do something different this year to enjoy the spirit of the season in different ways? There are many lonely people out there, some are elderly and some are isolated even more due to lockdown. What a huge impact we can make if we phone them and share time with them this year. All of us can make a huge difference to each other’s lives by reaching out. What is more not only will we be helping them but we will be helping ourselves too. Social media might rely on pictures and videos but hearing someone’s voice and communicating with them live is a skill some have forgotten.

If we cannot be with those we love this year then perhaps we can use this opportunity to make sure that those in need benefit from our kindness instead? Perhaps Black Friday in future could be redefined by Wikipedia as “The day after Thanksgiving now regarded as the beginning of the world’s kindness season since 2020”?

As always the choice is up to each of us. Now you have read these thoughts can you think what you can do to shine that light in practical terms for others? How can you end a dark and black year with light and hope? Why don’t we change the label and make 27 November 2020 Kindness Friday? There have been so many inspiring stories this year but simple acts of kindness in this season can change how we all look at what we can rather than what we cannot do. However you spend the next weeks and days ahead, stay safe and may you be kind! Portia Nelson wrote about choices in her Autobiography in Five Chapters 

Read the poem and think perhaps about the choices we have and if you really want to do so then why not make this Black Friday a very different one from ever before! Stay safe and stay positive!

Autobiography in Five Chapters by Portia Nelson

Chapter 1

I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost...I am helpless.
It is not my fault.
It takes forever to find my way out.

Chapter 2

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in this same place.
It is still not my fault.
It takes a long time to get out.

Chapter 3

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it there.
I still fall in...It’s a habit now.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

Chapter 4

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter 5

I walk down another street.