Is Black Friday Taking Over Thanksgiving Thursday?

Has Black Friday been stretched too far, or near, now that deals are actually being offered starting Thanksgiving night? The answer to that question is yes, from one Target employee out of Corona, California.

“C Renee” has obtained 338, 418 signatures on Change.org from people who agree Target needs to take the high road and ‘save Thanksgiving.’

"Since workers need to show up sometimes hours before the story officially opens, this will take much of Thanksgiving away from retail employees across the country," C Renee said in her petition on Change.org.

Target can take the high road and save Thanksgiving for employees like me and our families by saying no to "Thanksgiving Creep," C Renee added. 

Target’s Black Friday deals start at 9 p.m. Thanksgiving night, according to the Black Friday Deals section on the Target website.

Other major retailers also have followed suit. According to the The Black Friday website, WalMart, K Mart and Toys 'R' Us all open an hour earlier at 8 p.m. on the night of Thanksgiving, for prices at a steal. 

Others have decided not to technically be open on Thanksgiving day, but will be open the minute after it’s over at the stroke of midnight Friday, November 23. Those stores include Macy’s and Kohl’s.  

Walgreens is running Black Friday specials only available on the Friday after Thanksgiving, but also has publicized specials only good all day on Thanksgiving. 

JC Penney and Meijer aren’t open at all on turkey day, or in the wee hours on Friday either. Both will offer their Black Friday deals beginning at 6 a.m. on the official, Black Friday. 

A website called www.respectthebird.com has been started, asking people to, well, ‘Respect the Bird.’

It states, “The one day each year that we're supposed to spend with friends and family being thankful for what we have, is slowly turning into a day of, eat-a-quick-lunch, stand-in-line and buy-more-things.” 

The website also expresses concern for employees who may have to haul it to work and spend all night dealing with crazed deal-seekers, “Even worse, it means many of the people who work the at the stores open on Thanksgiving, whether or not they want to be there, have to be there too.” 

So what do you think?

Is it wrong to lure shoppers out, possible away from family gatherings on Thanksgiving? And what about employees, does this early Black Friday unfairly take their holiday away from them?

Share your comment below. 

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