County

Thanksgiving Cancelled, Black Thursday Initiated

By Chelsea Reinhard cschmid, Nov 27, 2013
 

The commercial money machine of the holiday season has stepped it up this year, ousting Thanksgiving to push super sales before the turkey has even digested.

It’s no secret that the stores will be packed this weekend, the National Retail Federation (NRF) is predicting that up to 140 million people plan to hit the stores over the next few days.

The preliminary survey asked if people plan to shop on Thanksgiving Day, and nearly one quarter expressed plans do so, equating to approximately 33 million flocking to stores after the familial festivities are over.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Thanksgiving is cancelled this year. Employees at local retailers will be coming in for the late shift on Thursday, and so they don’t get lonely, we’ve compiled a list of early-bird “Black Thursday” openings for those who want to get the jump on the people who are getting a jump on the holiday shopping.

Of those with extended holiday hours, the Sunset Mall has several stores planning to lift their security gates for door-busting deals on Thursday beginning at 8:00 p.m. Participation is optional and a press release from the mall lists Bealls, JCPenney, Sears, Ulta “and other select retailers” whose staff will be on hand through the night until closing time Friday at 9:00 p.m.

All mall retailers will be open by 6 a.m. and opening times for individual stores are posted on the mall website. Finding times is somewhat tedious if you’re not sure what you’re looking for, so for simple navigation, click on “directory” at the top of the homepage, then on a link to a store. On the right-hand side, you’ll see “news and offers,” and there will either be something pertaining to Black Friday or nothing at all.

The mall is also handing out goodie bags to the first 100 shoppers at both the Santa set and at the Christmas tree (near Gordan’s) at 6:00 a.m., including retailer coupons. The first 50 at both locations will receive an acrylic Sunset Mall tumbler cup. Shoppers can also register to win a $100 gift card from a retailer of their choice from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Registration will take place at the Santa set and two winners will be drawn after 1:00 p.m.

Sunset Mall is also hosting its Spread the Cheer campaign and will offer free rides KIXY 94.7 FM on the Santa Shuttle throughout the day.  In addition, U.S. Marines with the Toys for Tots program will carry packages to vehicles for shoppers. The West Texas Navy Association will offer gift wrapping service for donations only. 

If mall shopping is not your thing, several local retailers will also be opening on Black Thursday. The earliest of them is Michael’s, which will open from 4:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Friday.

Toys ‘R Us, will open from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and will reopen at 5:00 a.m. Friday, Best Buy from 6:00 p.m. Thursday to 10:00 p.m. Friday. Best Buy door-busters are scheduled for midnight and 10:00 a.m.

Walmart will also be hosting a super sale on Thursday, both at 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m, then again at 8:00 a.m. on Friday. Of course they’ll be open for business till the end of the world with the exception of Christmas, so no closing hours to report there, but the super store has been having a “Black Friday Week,” featuring roll backs on select items.

For more on Black Friday ads or sales, we recommend the following two websites. http://blackfriday.com/black-friday-store-hours http://www.theblackfriday.com/. If you know something we don’t please share it with everyone in the comments section. Happy shopping!

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People buying stuff they can't afford for people who won't like it in celebration of a god they don't serve. I once succumbed and bought something on Tday because it was a good deal. Afterwards I was really disgusted with myself. On reflection, my original statement was wrong. A good many people shopping today are buying for themselves in recognition of a god they DO serve--the unholy trinity of me, myself, and I. "Give thanks? For what? I want MORE!"
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it's ironic that on a day you are supposed to be giving thanks for all that you have that some people will be out buying more things they can't afford and don't really need.
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live, Thu, 11/28/2013 - 10:47

In the midst of the Civil War, in 1863, this is what Abraham Lincoln said about Thanksgiving:

The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they can not fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict, while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well as the iron and coal as of our precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.

And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the imposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the divine purpose, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.

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