The Best Monday of the Year
The biggest shopping holiday in the world just passed and you probably missed it. Sorry.
Your day-planner failed to mention that the Global Shopping Festival, referred to as "Singles' Day," was just celebrated by women in China on November 11th--without you. I’m not making this up. Look it up for yourself. This colossal holiday of sorts commemorates destitute love lives and all the joys of being single through serious online retail therapy.
November 11th somehow morphed into a ‘treat yo-self’ day in China over the past two decades, but it isn't celebrated in the U.S. because Singles' Day falls on February 14th in the U.S. (duh) and November 11th is far too close to the cut-throat yearly event that resembles what a scene from World War 3 might someday look like.
I’m talking about Black Friday, of course.
I hate Black Friday. For obvious reasons, I'd rather not partake in the Hunger Games if I don't have to. I’d rather not claw my way through Nordstrom at 8 a.m. for worldly possessions, directly after a day of giving modest thanks. But nothing is sacred anymore. The irony in the fact that Black Friday starts on Thursday continues to make me lose a little faith in society.
On any other day of the year, I'm a big proponent of taking advantage of a sale, but Black Friday has the subtle ability of sucking in innocent, fashion-forward victims--letting the sale take advantage of them. The mere commodity of merchandise and sale prices thrown at shoppers on this D-Day makes it too easy and tempting to walk in a store looking for black jeans, and walk out with $200 worth of clothing, none of which resembles denim, or the color black. Black Friday is not a day where people shop with a purpose. Acknowledge the difference between a killer deal and deadly bait.
You might have unknowingly missed Singles' Day, but Cyber Monday is your go at a second chance. Cyber Monday is not Black Friday. It's arguably the best Monday of the year. The virtues of online shopping omit lines, claws, mobs, and retail bait. It's all about monitoring wishlist pieces online that you actually *need* and jumping on slashed prices from the comfort of your own home. It's easier to keep track of your spending, and you can visit multiple stores with the switch of a tab. Don't fret, anything that's on sale in stores will be on sale online. I can assure you that the good majority of your favorite stores participate in Cyber Monday, too. And if you just can't wait till Monday, scout out Black Friday deals online before you consider camping in front of your local mall. Forget about Black Friday, dump your significant other, and celebrate Cyber Monday like it's Singles' Day 2.0 on November 28th. I know I will.