BFs and other highly promoted sale days might not be good for business profit margins, though in-store traffic can be impressive. It is important to remember that deep discounts often lead to smaller profits. Revenues might be up but so are costs which results in decreased profit. People who shop on BF seem convinced that the deals offered cannot be beat. This is probably not true, much to the dismay of the retailer.

Many people are asking themselves if BF has permanently crept into Thanksgiving and, in the process, eroded its solemn significance. There seems to be support for the proposition that Thanksgiving should remain a day for giving thanks, Perhaps we should not so quickly abandon the good values that Thanksgiving represents.  Values are the bedrock of character that shape what we do, think and say. I think we, as Americans, should set aside time to exclusively give thanks for what we do have and remember those who are less fortunate.

Mega-storm Sandy caused tremendous property damage along the eastern seaboard coast and wrecked the lives of many residents of the Tri-State area. A staggering amount of people lost everything they owned. These survivors are desperately trying to secure some sense of normalcy in their lives. BF shopping madness did not appear on their to-do-lists. Maybe I am being overly nostalgic but I miss the old days when stores were closed on Sundays. That era represented America’s commitment to good moral values, socialization and sharing. My girlfriend and I donated warm clothing to the Sandy relief effort.

My Thanksgiving Day guests enjoyed their excursion into Mid-town Manhattan after eating dinner. The chilly weather did not deepen their enthusiasm or mine. We waded through seas of shoppers in Macy’s and other stores. They mostly brought items for their grandchildren. It became clear to me that they were not as interested in shopping as they were determined to experience the energy of the crowds and the excitement of the moment. They simply wanted to live the event known as BF. I was not shopping for anything special. However, the items that I liked were not being sold at deep discounts. My sole purchase for the entire day was a wool cap from a street vendor and some survival items, in case of another major storm.

We managed to keep ourselves busy until sunrise. By that time we were in Battery Park. My guests wanted to see where Sandy’s surge came ashore in lower Manhattan. They were in awe of the Statue of Liberty. We hopped on the Staten Island Ferry for a roundtrip excursion to nowhere. We paid our respects at the World Trade Center site.

After being treated to a fantastic breakfast my girlfriend and I took our guests back uptown to watch the parade. We took pictures and videos of ourselves and everything that was happening around us. By early afternoon we arrived back at my home to heat up Thanksgiving Day leftovers. At no time did my guests express a wish to return to shopping. We had a memorable day.

My college classmate and her husband reinforced in me the value of friendship and sharing. Though it had been decades since my classmate and I last interacted it was just like old times when were in college. Her husband was friendly and talkative. We laughed so hard that it hurt. My quests also freely and willingly discussed intimate and profound topics.  Sharing our ideas, dreams and setbacks came easy to all of us. It was instructive for me to see how easily my girlfriend conversed with my classmate and her husband. Her social skills are better than mine; I need to practice and hone these skills.

When I dropped them off at the airport on Sunday morning they surprised me with an appreciation gift. They requested that I not open the gift until they boarded their flight. As we were leaving the airport my girlfriend opened the gift. She seemed startled by what was in the side the small box. My guests had brought me the same his and her wristwatches that I had seen in Macy’s but did not buy because the sale’s price was not deep enough.

I know now better than before that Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks.