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Why so many Americans race out to the stores en-masse the day after Thanksgiving has always been beyond the scope of my comprehension...

...on Thursday, you're celebrating the fact that you and your family have more than enough - then Friday at dawn you're driving to the Mall to go get more?

Well said, bepsf...well said!

Blech, I despise Adbusters. And what's the point of celebrating Buy Nothing Day 2 days after the actual day? Is it because they have to buy the cake ingredients and face painting for the party?

I admit to shopping on Friday/Saturday each year- not because I feel some deep consumeristic urge or because I want to get up at 6am to buy a television for $400, but because I rarely have time to shop these days, and Thanksgiving weekend gives me a few days off to catch up (and also take advantage of Wisconsin's much lower sales tax).

For many people, it's a day off, and if they are really determined to get their Christmas shopping done, and the sales are on, I can sort of understand. Especially if the gifts have to be sent, etc.

I don't care to do it myself, but if everyone stayed home and didn't buy anything, there'd be more stores laying off staff, etc.

And for a site that trumpets "Buy this! Buy that! Look! Shop!" every single day, to suggest that not shopping is a virtue is ridiculous.

While I understand the premise and can certainly appreciate our culture's need to be less wasteful... many of us have jobs that absolutely rely on people buying things. And that is the reality. Until these people have a plan on what to do with all of us, I can't really hope too much for their success.

Also- I'm not sure how Black Friday is being misunderstood above. It is about Christmas shopping, as in gifts for other people. Not selfishness.

It's about *raising consciousness*, people, not about destroying the US economy. Sheesh.

This very website is supposed to be about thinking carefully and consciously about what we bring home and live with.

Running out to glut on the latest consumer goods at big box stores is not going to result in the most thoughtful, individual, or even affordable holiday gifts.

"This very website is supposed to be about thinking carefully and consciously about what we bring home and live with."

Maybe that's what it's SUPPOSED to be about, but after the $1500 airplane window and the chandelier made of garbage, I don't put much credence in the credo. Kool-aid served in a fabulous retro, vintage, Eames, etsy, DWR coupe is still Kool-aid.

My consciousness is raised already.

And Jeze--how do you know that no one can buy a thoughtful gift at a big box store? Spare me the dorm room generalizations, please.

Spare me your poor reading comprehension, Palmetto. I didn't say what you claim that I said, not even close. Maybe you should have spent more time in your dorm room, then you would have a better grasp of the English language.