Black Friday is the biggest sale of the year. In fact, some say Black Friday is their favorite holiday. Shoppers brawl over items and wait in never-ending lines to buy clothes, electronics, and must-have toys. Some shoppers camp outside the stores and neglect their family affairs.

I myself am guilty of this; my brothers and I consider Black Friday our Thanksgiving. We don’t sit around the table saying what we’re thankful for–we shop until we drop. When people talk about Thanksgiving, we talk about the DEALS.

Thankfully, I know I’m not alone just by looking at the parking lot at Del Amo Mall. By the looks of it, most shoppers skip the food altogether. They are at the store, waiting for the workers to open the doors.

But Black Friday hasn’t always been this way. It used to start the morning of Friday, hence the name Black Friday. However, marketers advertise the deals extremely well. Every commercial has to do with the doorbuster sales at JC Penny or discounts at Forever 21. The advertising successfully convinces consumers they need to be on trend for this season.

After realizing this, I started to wonder why we do this. Why, on a day meant for giving thanks, do we go to the mall? Honestly, I don’t have an answer. My African parents never pass up a good deal. However, my family likes to believe we give thanks every day for our blessings. Maybe others relate to my situation.

No matter what you do on Thanksgiving day, what’s important is that you spend it with those you love.