People always judge me when I tell them that I love Black Friday. But honestly, it's one of my favorite days of the year. Now, before you start thinking that I'm materialistic, hear me out.

On Thanksgiving the men in my family get together and sit around the TV after dinner and watch whatever football game is on TV. It's a bonding activity and a tradition for them. No one ever seems to comment about how horrible it is that all of the stadium, television, radio, police officers, medics and concession workers that have to WORK on Thanksgiving so we can enjoy the game.

I hate when people try to make Black Friday shoppers feel bad about being excited for the retail holiday. Yes, there will be people working on Thanksgiving and on Black Friday. But, lots of people work on that holiday. I've worked on that holiday, and it can be fun.

The women in my family get together and go through the Black Friday ads every year. We look through the specials, plan our routes, talk about what we want to get each other for Christmas etc.

Then, on Black Friday, we wake up dark and early to brave the long lines and cold weather together. It's really about spending time with each other and working with each other to put our plan into action. I think of it as a bonding activity that's an extension of Thanksgiving.

There have been many years I didn't buy a single thing on Black Friday. I just went for the general camaraderie. It's a tradition in my family--it's the launch of the Christmas season.

So, next time you want to judge a Black Friday shopper for being "greedy," "materialistic" and keeping people from their families...maybe realize that a lot of people do it out of tradition and for camaraderie...not because they are obsessed with "stuff."

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