Let's cut to the chase: If you really want change to happen, you've got to kick people where it hurts: in the wallet. If you want to make a statement, the most persuasive way to do so is with the most powerful weapon known to man: the almighty dollar.
In what can only be described as the epitome of commercialism, and perhaps greed, large retailers decided that opening at 4:00am on the day following Thanksgiving -- now known ominously as Black Friday -- wasn't enough. Instead of luring working mothers out of bed at 2:00am so they have enough time to drop the kids off at Grandma's and grab some 7-11 coffee before getting in line at the nearest Best Buy, these same people can now pull an all-nighter reminscient of their college days. With hundreds of stores opening for "Midnight Madness," and others opening as early as 9:00pm, Black Friday warriors could simply pack an overnight bag for the kids and send them home with Grandma a mere hour or two after finishing the coffee and pumpkin pie. Granny's gotta play her part in the story if she wants a new flatscreen, after all.
If you don't get all your shopping done on Black Friday, do not despair: there's always Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday, which is the Monday immediately following Black Friday, is all about online shopping deals. Basically, it's Black Friday without the possibility of getting run over by a shopping cart or punched in the face over the last digital camera. If you're a cyber-shopping novice, there are plenty of online resources to help you find the best deals from places like Amazon, Target, and Best Buy.
In the midst of all this madness, small business owners realized they are missing out on an over $1 billion tradition, and have started a tradition of their own: Small Business Saturday. Instituted on the Saturday after Black Friday on November 27, 2010, and promoted by American Express, small business owners offer a variety of deals and services of their own. In this way, they hope to provide consumers with a different type of shopping experience, as well as build a customer base.
Why should you shop small businesses? For one, it helps build a stronger local economy. Additionally, it offers consumers more choices and diversity, and adds character to the local community. As a Hernando county resident, you may not even know about some of the choices you have when it comes to holiday shopping. Stores like Baby and Me, Skip to my Lue, and Tony's Appliances are all based in Hernando County, and all eager to show consumers what they have to offer.
Complaining about the fact that Wal-Mart's CEO is grossly overpaid while his employees barely make enough to make ends meet is not going to change anything. If we may paraphrase Ghandi, put your money where your local business is and be the change you want to see in this country. You can start by making Small Business Saturday your new holiday shopping tradition.
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