Yet another American gimmick being hoisted upon the UK public by American owned firms, causing nothing but chaos and pandemonium in the process. We don't have Thanksgiving Thursday off in the UK, or the day after, BECAUSE WE DON'T DO THANKSGIVING!!, so the point of having a Black Friday SALES day (when most hard-working people are IN WORK!) is lost on me. BUT!! The shops get another chance to have yet another BLOW OUT (?) sale and sucker customers into parting with their hard earned. Halloween has already been ruined (old Duck Apple is now annoying Trick or Treat), now we have to wade through this load of bull.
Well said Kev!! Scenes described in some stores are disgraceful, people fighting each other to save a few lousy quid. The whole thing is a sham and these big companies are sitting back laughing. I wish it would all just go away...
Well said Kev!! Scenes described in some stores are disgraceful, people fighting each other to save a few lousy quid. The whole thing is a sham and these big companies are sitting back laughing. I wish it would all just go away...
I'd never heard of it until LLL mentioned it in the lead up to their Christmas releases a few years back. I assumed it was an American thing. Strange that we're doing it now.
"The '90s called, they want their sarcastic references back." (Oh, how I despise that expression and all its variations)
As I mentioned in some other thread, a Northern Ireland shoe shop I ordered from sent me a Thanksgiving email promotion thing, complete with poorly-animated turkey, in order for me to throw more money in their direction.
If there's money to be made, it doesn't matter which country you're from. Business people are the same all friggin' over.
Halloween needs to end no matter what country we are in.
The dang holiday has such a muddy past with no clear reasons for anyone to celebrate. Plus, it is very dangerous. Lets wait until it is dark outside and send our young children outside in disguises so pedophiles or worse can attempt to grab them. What a great idea!
If there's money to be made, it doesn't matter which country you're from. Business people are the same all friggin' over.
The other side of that coin being that if the customers weren't buying, the "gimmicks" wouldn't sell. The "suckers" could choose not to participate in the madness, but they don't.
Halloween needs to end no matter what country we are in.
The dang holiday has such a muddy past with no clear reasons for anyone to celebrate. Plus, it is very dangerous. Lets wait until it is dark outside and send our young children outside in disguises so pedophiles or worse can attempt to grab them. What a great idea!
Where were you when I was getting abused over this issue?!
If there's money to be made, it doesn't matter which country you're from. Business people are the same all friggin' over.
The other side of that coin being that if the customers weren't buying, the "gimmicks" wouldn't sell. The "suckers" could choose not to participate in the madness, but they don't.
I was getting to those conspicuous consumers next...yesterday afternoon there were 20 or more dopes lined up outside an appliance/gadgets store ("HH Gregg" it's called; never saw it before yesterday). I've spoken with colleagues at work who claim to actually enjoy/love the crowds, the packed parking lots, and the overall collective misery that is holiday shopping. Me? I hate crowds and lines and all that hoopla.
The dang holiday has such a muddy past with no clear reasons for anyone to celebrate. Plus, it is very dangerous. Lets wait until it is dark outside and send our young children outside in disguises so pedophiles or worse can attempt to grab them. What a great idea!
No clear reason except that it's fun! And what's with the pedophile fear? Is the child abduction or molestation rate higher on Halloween than at any other time of the year? It is not. In the US, while there are 2000+ missing people per day(!), there are only about 100 missing-child reports per year fitting the profile of abduction by a stranger, and in recent years those have never occurred on Halloween. The fact of the matter is that most abused children are abused by family or friends of the family, not by random strangers on the street.
No clear reason except that it's fun! And what's with the pedophile fear? Is the child abduction or molestation rate higher on Halloween than at any other time of the year?
Let me ring the Vatican and find out.
On-topic, over here in world power Belgium, there are a couple of big chain stores who have been doing black friday promotions for a couple of years now. I personally don't know many people who are eager to wait in line though. (Belgians HATE waiting in line).
I remember a friend of mine who works in a big store posting a video of a nintendo wii sale they had, people bursting into the store, they even lined up their kids as they could run faster to grab one. When of course the stock was depleted in only a manner of seconds, an angry crowd gathered with crying children and upset parents. Ah yes, the joys of bargains!
As I mentioned in some other thread, a Northern Ireland shoe shop I ordered from sent me a Thanksgiving email promotion thing, complete with poorly-animated turkey, in order for me to throw more money in their direction.
If there's money to be made, it doesn't matter which country you're from. Business people are the same all friggin' over.
Well said and exactly so.
This year is the first time I'm leaving the house on Black Friday (and only because a girl(!) is raking me to see Blade Runner(!!) in theaters(!!!)) because of the traffic involved. As a whole, Black Friday isn't too, too bad but I live near some shopping malls.
There is one upside to this day: the sales with online vendors is outstanding. Amazon has the first TNG BLURAY set for $20. Hard to beat that...
No clear reason except that it's fun! And what's with the pedophile fear? Is the child abduction or molestation rate higher on Halloween than at any other time of the year?
Let me ring the Vatican and find out.
I loved the Balloonman episode of Gotham where the child-abusing cardinal was hitched to a weather balloon and elevated out of and over the city in all his scarlet finery![/endspoiler]
Halloween needs to end no matter what country we are in.
The dang holiday has such a muddy past with no clear reasons for anyone to celebrate. Plus, it is very dangerous. Lets wait until it is dark outside and send our young children outside in disguises so pedophiles or worse can attempt to grab them. What a great idea!
Yeah because that has ever happened ever. Live in fear much?
Well I'd say, why not! There's some great offers around, shops are just trying to make a living, & there's been some great offers on Amazon. Any excuse for a sale sounds good to me.
The big US import WHY for me would be Halloween trick or treat. Kids never used to do it in the UK, they don't really know what they're doing & a lot of people are intimidated, but it seems to be on the wane now.