ROTHENBURGER – Annual Black Friday frenzy just isn’t what it used to be

I WENT IN SEARCH of Black Friday yesterday. Couldn’t find it anywhere.

There were lots of signs, just no people. Some announced simply, “Black Friday Sale Now On,” while others were more direct — “ENTIRE STORE 50% OFF” proclaimed one in red and green letters on a black background.

But there were no determined shoppers wrestling over the very last available Magical Misting Crystal Ball toy (because, OMG, their child will be devastated if it’s not under the tree this year).

Nobody was throwing punches in the aisles over big-screen TV sets, or frantically rooting around for the perfect pair of ripped jeans for a son or daughter.

Maybe it had to do with the pouring rain, or with the time of day — I went on my quest during the morning and afternoon hours; it might have been busier last night.

Or, just maybe, it’s because Black Friday sales have been going on for weeks already and are likely to continue pretty much right up until Christmas. As a day of frenzied shopping and smashing deals, Black Friday has lost its panache.

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Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops, former TNRD director and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.