The media has focused most of its attention on the negative aspects of Black Friday such as theft, stabbings, and chaotic crowds being the cause of more than seven deaths and 98 reported injuries since 2006. The perception that most people have of Black Friday is on two opposite ends of the spectrum: either they are for it or against it.

People shun Black Friday by saying that retailers should stay closed and not have their employees work, especially after celebrating Thanksgiving just 24 hours prior. However, no one complains when a nurse or a police officer has to work on Christmas or New Year’s Eve. People have to work and that’s the way it is.

Thanksgiving is supposed to a day where Americans give thanks for everything they have. If people were able to transform Thanksgiving to becoming a positive and thankful holiday, then people should be able to change the way they feel about Black Friday as well. 

The truth is that Black Friday is necessary because people need to work in order to pay for bills, put food on the table, and fulfill their duties to society. In a perfect world no one would have to work. However as sad as it may be, Americans live a fast-paced lifestyle that makes it impossible for there to be a pause in our economy.

What is unsaid about Black Friday is the amount of jobs that are given to people who need it during this time of year. According to the National Retail Federation, more than 700,000 people will be hired during this holiday season. This could mean the difference for a father trying to pay the bills to keep his family living comfortably, or a a soon-to-be mother buying basic necessities for her newborn baby that is on the way.

Customers have the opportunity to snag the best gifts with the lowest prices during this day. Although they might have to stand in checkout lines that snake around the entire store, they will leave with bags full of gifts and the satisfaction of knowing that they received a good deal on them. Workers also benefit from this day by having the opportunity to obtain more work hours and earn extra money, which could mean the world for someone who desperately needs it.

Stores and shops gain a large amount of sale from Black Friday because it marks the start of the biggest shopping weekend of the season. In an article in Fortune Magazine titled “Here’s What to Expect from Black Friday This Year” it states, “Black Friday will attract a crowd of approximately 135.8 million people.” As a result, many retail shops will up their annual sales for the whole year on just Black Friday alone.

Black Friday may have a bad reputation for being an unnecessary, dangerous, and chaotic day of the year, but in reality we should value Black Friday just as much as Thanksgiving. More opportunities are available for everyone on Black Friday, which gives us another reason why we should be thankful.