Giving Thanks on Black Friday

Kendra Campbell (Friday, November 23) -- Today, all across the US, shoppers are descending on malls and shopping centers. People will be spending large sums of money that they oftentimes don’t have, to buy things for people on their “lists.” Families will incur untold credit card debt. People will no doubt become angry, frustrated, and hostile as they continue on their safari to find “good deals” and “the perfect present.” This shopping day after Thanksgiving has been given the ominous name, “Black Friday.”

Interestingly, the American concept of buying gifts for people this time of the year began around the concept of Christmas. The Christmas holiday was used as an impetus to “share and give” with loved ones. However, the current holiday season has somehow morphed into something much larger. I know Muslims, Atheists, and Jews living in the US who all celebrate this time of the year by purchasing presents for their loved ones. It’s no longer a religious holiday, but rather is a celebration of consumerism, wrapped in a lovely “spirit of giving” package.

Now, please don’t get me wrong. I am very fond of the concept of giving. However, as you may have guessed by now, I’m not as much into the concept of frivolous purchasing of things, simply because that’s what everyone does. With all the advertisements on television, the Internet, and just about anywhere you can imagine, it’s difficult to avoid the message that we should all be out frantically searching for gifts right now. Americans seem to have lost the original meaning behind giving, and have given in to the retail industry’s pressure to buy without restraint. Of course, I’m not the first person to make this observation, but it seems to be getting worse each year.

I spent the last holiday season here in Dominica, and I managed to avoid all that craziness. There aren’t as many signs of the impending holidays here as you’d see in the States. There are no decorations on the light posts, no Christmas music blaring through all the hallways, no special Starbucks cups to celebrate the season. In addition to the lack of visual or auditory clues, because our med school does not honor any of the American holidays, I don’t get any days off. My days continue to be filled with endless hours of studying, and I’m completely oblivious to any holidays. Because I’m originally from a much colder climate, even the weather serves to blind me from the truth. It’s in the 40’s (F) in Washington, DC (my hometown), and it’s in the 80’s here in Dominica.

However, this year will be different. I will be returning to the States to visit at the end of December. I’ll be suddenly launched from the world of med school exams and palm trees into the world of family, Christmas music, and malls filled with frazzled shoppers. It will definitely be a difficult adjustment.

Reflecting on all the madness that is going on in the States today on this Black Friday makes me all that much more appreciative of what I have. I’ve been forced to live quite minimally here in Dominica. Even if I wanted to go on a shopping trip today, my choices would be quite limited. There simply isn’t much to buy. In addition to that, there are so many incredibly poor Dominicans around me, that it just doesn’t seem appropriate. I know that when I leave my apartment, some local residents will go through my trash to find things that I have thrown away, but are useful to them. What I consider to be living minimally, the average Dominican would consider to be living like a queen. Trying to understand the lives of people so much less fortunate than I, has given me the best gift that I could ask for. I am able to appreciate what it really means to be fortunate. I’m honestly very glad that I’m not in the States today to witness the hysteria of shopping and spending. I’m quite happy to spend the day studying for my upcoming exams and being thankful for all the things I have.