I am one of those people who enjoys going out for a bit on Black Friday — my wife and I usually spend a few hours in the afternoon stopping at a few stores and grabbing some early Christmas presents.

I find it so ironic how, literally one day after people say “thanks” for all they have, it’s a feeding frenzy at retail stores for the “marked down” consumer products as people fight for more.

Though I enjoy the time with my wife on these days, I will never fully understand the craziness that surrounds Black Friday. The hordes of ravaged shoppers, the merciless fighting, the absurd lines starting outside stores days before Black Friday, it’s just too much. I understand getting a great deal on a TV, but at what cost? A dinner with your family on Thanksgiving? Hours of your life waiting in line? Your dignity as you fight people off for the latest gizmo?

In recent years, the trend has gotten to be even worse, with many stores now having their “Black Friday” sales start on Thursday — as you all know, that isn’t just some regular Thursday, it’s Thanksgiving. I don’t really care if people are crazy enough to want to shop on Thanksgiving at 5 p.m., but I do care for the poor retail employees who are forced to work because of those crazy people.

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