Early Holiday Story

In an attempt to make a few extra thousand dollars, stores rely on the excitement and merriment of everyday, innocent citizens, as well as their gift-giving and receiving natures. Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday have become entire holidays in itself. Traditions include standing outside a store in the freezing cold, sleeping in tents and sleeping bags, and joining mobs with crazy, frantic eyes to storm the aisles of popular retail stores. “I plan on going out on midnight on Thanksgiving,” senior Josh Sharp said. “Black Friday has started to take over Thanksgiving and it’s annoying.”

“I have to go into work at 5pm on Thanksgiving, and leave at 2 in the morning for black Friday,” senior Nick Wansing said. “The stores at the outlet mall are going to be full.”

The increased excitement to spend money for the holidays has made that time cut short for part time and seasonal workers. Retailers are in need of extra hands during the busy season and that adds even more stress to the already crazy holidays for teenagers.

“My entire family works in retail,” senior Jordan Thomas said, “So we have to eat an early dinner.”

“Availability time is ignored around the holidays,” senior Presley Schleicher said. “My entire family is coming into town, but I have to miss the entire dinner for my job.”

Growing up and moving away is just around the corner for plenty of students, so these holidays are some of the final opportunities to spend time with the people that matter.

“It is going to be harder to plan for the holidays next year,” senior Julielle Bowman said. “All of my cousins live across the country already, but next year we will be more spread out.”