On November 28th, stores in Harford County will be opening up early on Thanksgiving for Black Friday the following day.   

People around Harford County are being made to work on a holiday where they should be spending time with their families and friends. Thanksgiving is a time to be with your family, not in a store. Sure, people offered to work for the money, but what about the people who don’t want to work and are being made to? It is not fair for them to spend their holiday like this and be made to come to work for people who couldn’t wait until Black Friday to start shopping.

By having to work, less time is being spent with loved ones; more time is being spent in front of a cash register or in stocking room. Why would someone want to spend that cherished time away from family working, when they could celebrate with their friends and families?

By putting capitalism above family values, the family culture in our country will suffer.  So many families in our country are separated by great distances.  How will this affect travelers?  It is inconvenient to families and friends who travel to see family members on this holiday and then are made to plan around their loved one’s work schedule. Some family members won’t even be able to see each other, as schedules may not fit together.

Stores like Best Buy, Sports Authority, and Toys R Us are opening right when turkey dinner is usually being served for most families. Best Buy and Sports Authority at 6:00pm, and Toys R Us at 5:00pm. Other stores like Kmart and Shopko are opening at 6:00am Thanksgiving morning, and staying open for most of the day.

Samuel Queen, a freshman at BAHS  who will have to go to work on Thanksgiving day in the Harford Mall’s Pretzel Twister said, “I think it’s sad that I’m leaving my Thanksgiving dinner table to work on a holiday that I’m supposed to be celebrating with my family.” The Pretzel Twister will be opening at 8:00pm on Thanksgiving.

Years ago, most stores were not even open on Sundays, and now they are open even on holidays. Thanksgiving has always been a special to our country, a time to celebrate gratitude and family, but doesn’t working on this holiday defeat that purpose?

Before going out and shopping this Thanksgiving Thursday, please think about all of those people spending their Thanksgiving time in order to help you shop. Thanksgiving is not a day to work. Consider waiting a day, or even a few hours to go shopping on Black Friday, instead of on this holiday. Let’s send a message from consumers to corporate America that we value family more than merchandise. Don’t you want to be with your family on Thanksgiving?