Tell Target to Save Thanksgiving

Posted by Linda Curtis On Thursday, November 24th 2011 in Finance

Approximately 152 million people are heading towards the checkouts carrying their heavily discounted products aiming to spend about $50 billion. The results were revealed by the National Retail Federation (NRF).

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving used to mark the moment when retailers move into profit. However, now it marks the day when customers spend hours in queues fighting to buy the latest discounted LCD television.

Best Buy, Macy's and Target have decided to open their doors at 10pm on Thursday night. Toys R Us will start even earlier at 9 p.m.

"Many holiday shoppers would rather stay up all night to take advantage of retailers' Black Friday deals than set their alarm to wake up the next morning," said the NRF president, Matthew Shay, in a statement which was considered pointless by critics.

When Anthony Hardwick was called to report for work at 11 p.m. on the evening of Thanksgiving he said no.

"My fiancée is sad because I was supposed to have Thanksgiving dinner with her family and talk about wedding plans," the 29 year old man who was supposed to work in a night shift in his second job on Black Friday, said. "It's kind of a raw deal."

Helped by his colleagues he started a petition called Tell Target to Save Thanksgiving.

"A full holiday with family is not just for the elite of this nation," Hardwick wrote. "All Americans should be able to break bread with loved ones and get a good night's rest on Thanksgiving".