Black Friday (so it's called)

So yesterday I got up at 4:30, got dressed, brushed my teeth and got in the car and drove to American Fork. Why did I do this? Because my mom wanted this one thing at Kohl's and wanted to get there on time. Being half asleep I had grabbed my flip-flops and so I stood outside in the cold for 15 minutes waiting for Kohl's to open. When it opened everyone basically except for me was running all over the store trying to grab what they had wanted at that store. I, not really going there to get anything specific I walked leisurely down the aisles and watched everyone make fools out of themselves. I quite enjoyed myself. But I began to ask myself, "why do people do this?" Why do Americans get up so early, wait out in the cold just to get the first on sale items?

It seems as though everyone is looking for a good sale on anything. Especially when basically EVERYTHING in the store is practically on sale. Who doesn't like sales? Sales are a good excuse to buy things that normally aren't on sale. A little boy goes up to his mom and asks if he can buy a toy. She asks him how much it is and when the little boy responds that it is ONLY $12.00, she gets this shocked look on her face. Then the boy uses the trick of all tricks. He says, "but it's on SALE." He has just said the most magical words on the planet. IT'S ON SALE. Three little words that can let anyone get the toy of their dreams. So in the end this little boy gets his toy he wanted. And why? Because it was ON SALE. Not only do people go crazy on Black Friday because of things on sale they go crazy because it is a tradition to go shopping that early in the morning.

Traditions are one of the best parts of holidays. We go shopping because it is a tradition that we have done since we have been little. My family didn't start going to this early madness until last year. It was so fun. We only went because we saw the ads in the paper and found something we really wanted to get. In the end we loved it so much we got hooked and we went this year too. Tradition is a big part of the way people do things. In Fiddler on the Roof they didn't do anything that wasn't "Tradition." Traditions are a big part of what makes holidays fun. We as cultures look forward to having the traditions associated with the holidays. Traditions make the holidays special. It is the time we spend most with our families. With no traditions holidays would be boring and we wouldn't get excited for them. IT seems as though the favorite holiday of people you talk to is Christmas. (well if they are Christians) It's not because of the presents it's because of all the fun traditions people get to do with their families.

People can make a fool out of themselves all they want because I quite enjoy watching them. I love spending the time with my mom and little sister on Black Friday looking for sales, getting up early, get something to eat for breakfast at Albertson's, and driving to American Fork. These are our traditions and they are fun. Even though it's not fun getting up early, it is worth all the fun and games that happen during that time. Waking up early once a year isn't so bad, so we might as well get up and experience this fun day at least once.