This Keeps Christ In Christmas?

Tis the season to shop has begun.  You know, the one that everyone claims is horrible, but yet thousands flood the local stores.  You know the one that everyone screams, keep Christ in Christmas, but then they see how many presents they can buy baby Jesus.

I am never disappointed in being shocked by people and this Black Friday sales event was no exception.  Our refrigerator went out on Thanksgiving, so we're trying to find another one.  We figured that Best Buy in Sanford, Florida was on our way home from Thanksgiving meal and since they were open, we would stop in.

Oh my land!  It was complete pandemonium there. Yes, I was crazy for even thinking about going in a store to look for another one on this day.  Go ahead, call me crazy!

Dozens of cars were circling the parking lot looking for a place to park.  People parking anywhere they could and walking a distance to the store.  I guess, I should have known by that moment, but no - I had to go find a distant parking place and walk to the store. I ignored all the things that were telling me, this was not a good idea!

You couldn't see it until you were in it...

Once I got in the store, it looked like just a lot of people shopping.  However, as I made my way through the crowd that didn't seem as bad until I got in the middle of it, I realized that the store had the isles blocked with merchandise routing people around the store to their specials and the checkout lanes.  Of course, until you were in the middle of this, you didn't fully realize what you were in the middle of at that moment.  You couldn't see it until you were in it.

Realizing that about 30 people were standing in front of the appliance isle I needed to go to, I quickly determined there was no reason to stay and I started to leave.  Now, I'm claustrophobic and this type of scene dramatically increases my anxiety.  The walls were closing in quickly and all I wanted to do was get out of this store.  It was the moment of my anxiety where it was either me or others that were not in a good place and I knew I had to get out quickly.

I started to panic...

As I looked up and saw just what a mess it was in the store, I started to panic.  It was then that I almost put the football pads on and went plowing through people.  I knew I had only minutes before the anxiety would completely take over me and take me down.  Fortunately, I made my way out of the place before that happened.  I'm still shocked and stunned by what I saw.

If there would have been a fire in the store or some crazy person loosing it with a gun, there is no way anyone could have gotten out of their.  I can't believe the Sanford Fire Department would allow this type of behavior, but either they didn't know, they didn't care, or they just didn't want to be bothered.  Best Buy should have done something (anything) to deal with crowd control, but I'm guessing the all-mighty dollar of Black Friday sales is more important than worrying about the safety of their customers.  After all, if something bad doesn't happen - then what's the worry?!

This morning though, I saw the Orlando Sentinel with the headline, "Thanksgiving Day Shopping Falters On Shrinking Crowds".  Really?  Exactly where did they go to determine the facts for such a statement?  I mean, if you looked at the closed stores, sure I would agree with you.  There were no cars there.

According to the Orlando Sentinel...

Quoting their newspaper article, "But judging by crowds at Central Florida stores Thursday, Thanksgiving shopping just doesn't draw the same interest it once did."  Really?  Obviously they picked stores and places we were not at.  I mean, every open store we saw was jam-packed.  The roads were packed.  The interstate was bumper to bumper.  Exactly what part of "Central Florida" did the Orlando Sentinel travel to for this article?

It irks me when the media just flat out doesn't do their homework.  Some might call it dishonest and lying.  To make a statement as they did in this headline is beyond belief.  It isn't backed up by any facts other than trying to make a sensationalized headline to grab someone's attention.  Facts aren't necessary.  All you need for the media is hype and people will buy it.

So last night, not only did Best Buy fail their customers, but so did the Fire Department and law enforcement of this area.  And - so did the Orlando Sentinel for reporting bogus facts to make a bogus story.  That's what keeping Christ in Christmas is all about?  That's celebrating the season of peace and joy and love?  This is how we are human?

And no - its not all the other people out there.  Don't let yourself off the hook that easy.  It is everyone that gets caught up in the greed and "I have to have this" type of behavior.  It is everyone that gets caught up in being hoodwinked into reading news that isn't true.

Maybe we all want to ask ourselves a very hard question - is this what it means to be human?  Is this what Christmas is about?  What is our role in all of this - and don't let yourself off the hook!  I saw far too many that would be standing on the street corner claiming we need to keep Christ in Christmas!

#ChristmasShopping

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2016 by Don Shetterly

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Black Friday Is Not Christmas

Everyone loves a good deal.  Everyone loves the specials of Black Friday.  This year, it doesn't look like there are that great of specials because the retailers want you to spend money on full price items, not heavily discounted items.  They don't make as much money that way.

Everyone thinks that Black Friday is the start of the Christmas holiday shopping season.  In today's ways, it is.  However, at the time everyone claims there is a war on Christmas, they gladly go belly up to the bar of shopping and spending all they can.  They get caught up in the craziness of Black Friday.

Of course the retail organizations and others claim that people need to go out and spend money.  After all if they don't, none of these businesses in our country will make it.  Sure, everyone thinks it is about Christmas, but it isn't.  Where in the bible does Jesus command you to go out and buy, buy, buy on Black Friday?

The Reason For The Season

Okay, I know not everyone does this.  I know that some keep the balance but still love Christmas and the holidays and shopping.  I'm not one of those.  And this blog post isn't about those that keep the balance.

Unfortunately for all too many people, the reason for the season is about buying stuff and getting stuff and getting more stuff and buying even more stuff.  I know, it makes the economy go round and round, and after all, isn't this what is written in the Bible and preached in the churches.  The reason for the season is all about buying all kinds of gifts and hoping that your loved ones will love you even more.

Now, if I'm offending you and you're not one of these people, please go back and read the first paragraph again.

Say NO to Early Thanksgiving Store Openings

The one thing I grew up with was a joy of the holiday season.  Even with the stress that comes with the holidays, it is still one moment of the year that I look forward to with anticipation.  I'm appalled at how the major retailers have put profits over people.  I think we should all say NO to early Thanksgiving store openings.

Yes, I realize that the stores see Black Friday as a way to make a profit and I realize that there is a lot of money made on this day.  However, is it not possible to value your employees enough so that they can spend time with their families?  I'm sure all of you retailers promote how much you are a family and how much you care about family values!  If you do, then why are profits more important?

We live in a world that we value people very little, but if we can stuff another dollar in our pockets at their expense, we don't seem to see a problem with this.  If we don't watch out, we will destroy the bedrock that business and corporations have been built upon.

Black Friday Craziness

I'm sure we all sit here gasping when we read various headlines.  After all, we see this black Friday craziness and wonder if we reside on the same planet with these shoppers that purport to be human.  I've seen accounts this year of someone claiming they will stab another if they try to shove their way in.  I've seen accounts of a lady that fought with police to get in line until they held her down, handcuffed her and hauled her to jail.  There are the people who spend days of their life waiting in line, trying to get a deal that saves them a couple hundred bucks.  Last but not least, there are the ones that spend day and night shopping and buying everything they can get their hands on.

Of course, we have the other side of the issue where some people boycott businesses on Black Friday and urge everyone else to do the same.  There are ones who could care less what is going on in the store and try to stay away from all the Black Friday Craziness.  Yet, you also will find people who have waited all year to buy some items that are now deeply discounted and make them more affordable.  I'm sure I am leaving out many other people as well.

Christmas Shopping Season

It's that time of year again!  You know, where we celebrate Christmas with some good ol' fashioned shopping.  Its barely time for Halloween to be over and the Christmas shopping season is in full swing.  Christmas carols are playing, merchandise is out and designed for the "i want everything" shopper.

Stores are lightly decorated to appear as if they are Christmas, but not enough to really make them look nice.  After all, we don't want to spend much on Christmas decorations.  We just want people to buy stuff.  The Black Friday specials are already being announced and almost launched.  In fact, some stores report they are going to open them up early.  Really, who needs the Thanksgiving holiday to get in the way.

Of course, you have the people that claim there is a reason for the season and how awful it is that we take Christ out of Christmas. Yet these very same people are the ones beating the other shoppers down as they grab the latest and greatest toys and gadgets.  They talk the talk, but they don't walk the talk!

Thanksgiving - The Time To Shop For Christmas

Thanksgiving - Time To Shop
For Christmas

We once again commemorate this long awaited for day in our country, Thanksgiving Day Holiday.  We've waited all year long to buy those much needed Christmas presents.  After all, its those great deals that help us buy the gifts for others and ourselves that we truly need.

We convince ourselves that there is just no time like this weekend to buy everything our heart desires.  Spending money we don't have, it all goes on the credit cards to pay off over the next year.  Nothing would stop us from doing this because it is just too practical to not go out and buy things at discounted prices.  The lure of the stores, the sounds of Christmas music and the fever of people lining up to get everything they can is too intoxicating for us.

We do recognize that this marks the season of the birthday of Jesus and we vow to keep Christ in Christmas, but please don't get in our way when the doors open at the stores on black friday.  You most likely will be trampled, or have toys and items yanked from your hands.  After all, to get the best deals, this is all worth it!   Trampling people and fighting for deals is all part of the game.  It is being human.  It is survival of the fittest!