Black Friday: just so much B.S.

[DJofSD]

"Shopmas" (http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-11-26/retailings-black-friday-hoax) by Barry Ritholtz.

I have become a curmudgeon on this. The NFR's methods are as intellectually dishonest as anything you will find in finance. As you gather with friends and family for the holidays, be present in the moment. Focus on your blessings and ignore the retail industry's attempts to generate a holiday shopping frenzy.

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"Black Friday" references the idea that retailers have operated in the red (on a theoretical years expenses having been occurred up front on Jan 1) up to the Friday after Thanksgiving. It's the same meme that has people declaring some random day in May "Tax Freedom Day".

Most of you probably already knew that but it was a lightbulb moment for me when I heard that earlier this week. I never really thought about where the term came from.

I did see an interesting article about how important this sales period was to the working poor. Macy's and Nordstrom's, on balance, are open fewer hours and offer less discounting than Walmart. For a lot of people this is the one opportunity to buy something big. It's interesting how the market has driven the retailers to sort themselves by what discounts they offer and for how long.

I always thought not wanting to shop was a guy thing. I hadn't thought about how easy it is for me to dismiss those shopping this time of year because of the fortunate life I stumbled into.