We didn't used to do Black Friday here in England. It's a very recent thing, and I have to say I don't understand it. Why do shops discount their goods in the run up to Christmas when they ought to be selling more stuff anyway? I understand that the term Black Friday is so called because it was the point in the year, just after Thanksgiving, when American retailers finally broke even: from here to year-end they were in the black. But cutting costs, and therefore margins, as you move into your busiest five weeks of trading sounds like the turkeys voting for Christmas: it simply can't be in the retailers' interests to do so. What am I missing?
Instead of shopping for more things we don't need, the WonderDog and I were out braving the elements this morning. We're really enjoying London's mild autumn weather, and, on those mornings when it's a little bit rainy, we pretty much have the whole of Walpole Park to ourselves. Magnificent. The WonderDog is a bit crestfallen at not having anyone to bark at, but it means I can just chill out, and tune in to my audiobook. Bliss.
And, talking of which, I've just finished reading the very best ghost story ever. Don't get me wrong: I'm not a big fan of ghost stories. I really don't go in for that sort of thing. But this one is different. This one is rip-roaringly good!
I first came across Frances Hardinge with the Lie Tree. I bought it for my son, became engrossed in the book jacket blurb and ended up reading it myself before I let him anywhere near it. On the back of how good it was, I ignored my normal no fantasy/ no ghost stories bias and plunged right in.
It's a brilliantly original tale of ghostly possession set in the English Civil War. Puritans and Royalists are tearing England apart, as a young girl and her brother flee their cursed inheritance, befriending ghosts and spirits in a most unlikely manner as they go. The prose is lyrical: vivid yet sparse at the same time. Hardinge has that rare gift of never using a word too many. I couldn't put it down, and as soon as I got to the end I ordered a paper copy on Amazon for my mum. Go read it, my friends. It's totally worth the candle!
Mr B is the proud owner of a new pair of socks. Here they are?
He thinks they're a bit too colourful for the office. I think he's boring. It's a commonly acknowledged truth that colourful socks are good for morale on dark days in November such as Black Friday.
Anyway, have a great weekend and, if you're shopping for bargains, I hope you score a bundle,
Bonny x
I don’t understand it either. I would have been safely tucked up at home, but needed some teabags, so ended up in a big box store in town - customers were leaving the shop with huge tv sets, so they must have thought that they were a bargain. Considering all of the hype though, it wasn’t particularly busy, so maybe everyone else stayed at home! Enjoy your weekend. Marie x
ReplyDeleteI did not go shopping other than I had to stop in Walmart this afternoon for catfood...can't let them go without. I have only ever went shopping on Black Friday one time...back several years ago...I would say at least 15 yrs ago...I had stayed up all night sewing and thought I might as well go. It was not that bad back then, but you couldn't pay me enough to fight some of the crowds...
ReplyDeleteI never do the "Black Friday" thing. Sometimes I will do on-line shopping during that time but for the most part I just shop when I feel like it regardless of the sales.
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