Holiday shopping can be a joy. You go into stores you don't usually enter, you get to shop for others, and the deals are often so good, that you end up buying a few things for yourself. Holiday shopping can also be a drag, as there are too many people, too much money is leaving your bank account, and the pressure to find the perfect gift for someone can be tough. Overall though, the holiday season is enjoyable, and there are certain days everyone has circled on their calendars as the best days to shop. Over the years, shopping for the holidays has changed, and these changes have ruined one of the most important days of the year in Idaho.
Holiday shopping used to consist of everyone going to the store, mostly at malls, and browsing through stores to find gifts for their family and friends. It used to be that shoppers had to deal with the cold, the crowds, the fear of an item being sold out, and managing to find everything they wanted to get, while also keeping it a secret from those who it was for. It also used to be that shoppers would hear holiday music, see the lights, see Santa in the mall, and get into the holiday spirit. The best day of the shopping season used to be when it would kick off on Black Friday. It was a special day for many and had great memories, but that has changed, and it is no longer as magical as it once was.
Growing up, Black Friday was a day that you either avoided leaving the house, or you camped out in the cold to have a chance at an amazing deal on a special gift you wanted for someone or yourself. There were punches thrown, kicks kicked, tears at missing out on gifts, and nothing was guaranteed. You had to earn the best deals, but those days are gone. Black Friday now consists of strolling through a store in the afternoon, loading your cart as casually as a day at the grocery store, and getting every item on your list. That is if anyone even goes shopping in person. Cyber Monday has become the new Black Friday and is the day that most shoppers are excited for. Shoppers flock to their computers, tablets, or phones and do their shopping. Items never run out, no punches are thrown, and nothing is earned. It is a tragedy to those of us that remember the good ole days.