As I was getting ready for work the other day, I heard a Christmas ad on the radio. I know that I need to face the facts and accept that the holidays are almost upon us, so the ad itself didn’t bother me. However the content of the ad kind of did.
There’s a mall in the area that’s opening at 3:00 AM on November 24. Three o’clock in the morning! They’re making it an event called Rockin’ Shoppin’ Eve, and the radio station’s morning drive DJ will be there to host. They’re having live music, Starbucks coffee, and a variety of prizes and giveaways. Honestly, I think it sounds like fun. I would never get up to be at the mall at 3 AM, but I might consider staying up to go there at that time.
But then there’s the other side of it. Character Builder’s husband is a manager (manager = salaried = no overtime pay) at a retail store. As it is, he has to be there at an ungodly hour on the day after Thanksgiving. And that’s just the first day in a six-week series of Very. Long. Days.
This is just crazy! Do we really need to start shopping earlier and earlier every year? I know Kmart is open on Thanksgiving Day itself, and they’ve been doing it for a few years now. I don’t think that it will be too many years before it becomes commonplace and acceptable for all stores to do it. There are already signs of the promotions and sales starting before Thanksgiving.
What’s your prediction—in what year will the Christmas sale promotions start November 1?
