Of Gifts and Guilt

I have observed as many of us participate in one of the biggest, and most well know, consumer events in the United States. That magical Friday after Thanksgiving when folks line up in the early morning hours outside their favorite stores to get a shot at amazing deals on the newest hot toy, electronics, and other items with prices cut to the bone. Retailers in brick-and-mortar stores, and online businesses, brace for the Black Friday weekend deals that constitute the biggest rush of retail activity of the year. This is the time when Santa, and those helping him, make more purchases than at any other time of the year. For some retailers it is the make-or-break event that launches their balance sheets into the black, or on a bad weekend, condemns them to finish out the year in the red – and maybe ends their business for good. But is it true that the Black Friday weekend is the most active time for holiday shopping? Well now – maybe not.