If there’s a day to induce the winter festivities, leave the job to none other than Black Friday. This day comes directly after Thanksgiving day and is the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. During this time, many American homes, after pigging out on large quantities of turkey, candied yams and the like, spread newspapers across the table in search for the best deals for household appliances, clothing, electronics and more. Ideally, this unofficial holiday is a shopper’s opportunity for the lowest prices, that is, if you can survive the ordeal.

Wal-Mart can kill you

Meet Jdimytai Damour, a 34-year-old Wal-Mart sales clerk. His life was anything but extraordinary, and as he woke from his slumber and drove off to work, he had no prior knowledge of the fate that would befall him on this cold, dark day. As the doors to the convenience store opened at 7 AM, the hundreds of avid shoppers poured into the shop, too engrossed with the TMX Elmos, iPod nanos, and whatever it is Wal-Mart has to offer. During this hodge podge, Damour was bumped by numerous customers, causing him to fall on the floor where many unsuspecting people stomped, trampled and ultimately killed this poor worker. It wasn’t until the crowd died down that the other workers realized what had happened. Soon after, the shopping ritual was ceased, and as the citizens of Nassau County shuffled outside of the store furious and empty-handed, others were pulled to the side by the police for interrogation. Shocked and confused, shoppers chalked it up to lack of security and public containment, and while this may have prevented the death of this unfortunate worker, Wal-Mart was not the only one to blame.

So what can we learn from this?

1. Always practice safety when shopping.

For minors who choose to accompany adults, always be careful for suspicious people, and be sure to keep your purses (and wallets) close. Remember to drive in an elegant matter, watching out for surrounding cars or landmarks.

2. Be courteous to those around you.

Thou shalt not steal! If that Nikon D5000 lands in someone else’s hands, just because it’s Christmas shopping doesn’t necessarily exempt you from the karma that will befall you!

3. Wal-Mart workers should take a day off on Black Friday.

Just kidding! But don’t remember, they’re people, too! If there’s something to be thankful for, be thankful that your boss was kind enough to give you this day off (probably so he/she could do the same.)

Some fun facts about Black Friday

-Its name originated from Philadelphia due to heavy traffic that occurred the day after Thanksgiving.
-It first began in 1966 and was the sole entertainment for the East Coast.
-This refers to the beginning of the time period in which a retailer would go from red (loss of money) to black (profit.)

I want to hear from you!

Are you going shopping this Friday? If so, what do you plan on purchasing? For those of you who choose to refrain from going, how do you shop for Christmas?

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[Sources]
The history of Black Friday
Black Friday Death Shoppers