The Friday after Thanksgiving, shoppers across the United States take advantage of widespread bargains and scramble for Black Friday doorbuster deals and discounted products available in limited quantities.

But is Black Friday really that big of a deal?

Despite what many people think, Black Friday didn’t get its name from the idea that, during the holiday season, retailers went from being “in the red” (experiencing losses) to being “in the black” (showing profits).

According to Tech Times, it actually began in Philadelphia in the 1960s. Philadelphians dreaded this day because the city would be flooded with tourists and shoppers prior to the big Army-Navy football game that traditionally takes place on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Police officers had to work extra-long shifts on that day, protecting merchants from shoplifters who tried to take advantage of the huge crowds.

Lots of cars, lots of traffic, lots of chaos. Sound familiar?

Every year, people drop what they’re doing and come home to celebrate the holiday of giving thanks. Thanksgiving is a tender and loving holiday that we look forward to.

Black Friday somehow always creeps up, a day devoted to pure materialism where people of all backgrounds abandon family dinner (on Thanksgiving day), camp outside of malls waiting for the doors to open, sprinting through store aisles in order to find the best deals, and all the while, trying to avoid getting trampled.

Is it not possible anymore to have one day of the year set aside for showing our appreciation and gratitude for what we have?

Black Friday makes it appear as though all Americans are demanding individuals. Is it necessary that we have to distract ourselves during Thanksgiving with thoughts on how we will get to the mall the next day and who will go with us?

Is this a time to be thankful or a time to be greedy? From the looks of it, Americans think it’s more important to get the best bargain than to spend time with one another.

One day, the people you share Thanksgiving with will be gone, but most likely several sales will still be available Saturday.