Shopping bags with the word "sale" featured.

It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is next week and the holidays will be kicking off into full gear! You may be starting to feel stressed about hosting events, cooking for family, and holiday shopping. While those Black Friday deals can be tempting, at GiftWorksPlus we actually want to share a few reasons why you’d be better off avoiding the mall this year and picking up unique and personalized gifts on our website instead. 

The Downside of Black Friday Deals

Black Friday deals aren’t necessarily there for your benefit. According to The Minimalists, Black Friday deals are mostly designed to get you in the door. They’re formatted to give you a feeling of panic, like you must take advantage of the offer before it’s gone. However, most of the time the items for sale aren’t necessarily the items on your list, nor are they personalized or customized to the person for whom you’re shopping. 

Overworked Employees

Another problematic aspect of Black Friday? The impact it has on retail workers. Stores originally began opening around 5-6 AM, but it wasn’t long until the hours were pushed back even earlier. Soon, stores began opening on Thanksgiving evening, staying open later and later. As these stores advertise their “Thanksgiving-Black Friday” deals, customers flock to shops, often overwhelming employees that are already overworked and had to miss out on their own Thanksgiving celebrations. 

The History of Black Friday

The history of Black Friday doesn’t shine a brighter light on the holiday either. The name itself dates back to a September day in 1869, when a conspiracy related to gold-buying was revealed and caused a full-blown stock market panic. You may have also noticed the similarities to Black Tuesday, named after the infamous stock market crash in 1929, which led to the Great Depression.

Shop GiftWorkPlus Instead 

Avoid the Black Friday Madness and opt for stress-free Christmas shopping by visiting the GiftWorksPlus website. You can find custom designed photo frames for everyone on your list. These picture frames come in designs for different sports, travel locations, schools, and of course holidays. You can snap some shots of friends and family this Thanksgiving and pick out one of our holiday frames for a unique and thoughtful gift to give your loved ones this season!