Women, Infants and Children (WIC) take heart. This year, Black Friday specials offered by stores such as Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, Sam’s Club and others aren’t all about the X-Box. They are all about survival. Instead of offering Wii’s for less than $100 and gaming equipment for a third of its original cost, these stores are offering milk at half price, cheese below the manufacturer’s cost, and cereal for next to nothing.
Gone are the days of the $200 laptop computer and Call of Duty Black Ops being offered for less than $30. The majority of Americans are out of work and now, since their unemployment benefits have expired, and are left with little to spend on expensive electronics.
The big retailers know this and know that the most popular gift item this season is the gift of life. Hunger is going to be a big problem, but not if most heads of household shop during one of the many Black Friday events taking place between now and Christmas.
While the term “Black Friday” is taking on an almost literal meaning this year, it doesn’t have to be as bleak as everyone is making it out to be. Those who simply can’t afford gifts can still use their saved up food stamps and recycled beer can money to buy some darn good Christmas gifts for their families.
So what if your teenage daughter doesn’t get the i-Phone 4 she’s been jonesing for. She will be pleased as punch to get a box of macaroni and cheese and a tin of tuna after having gone a day or two without dinner. And for your son, who just this once wanted a brand new football so he could play catch with his dad, will understand when instead, he gets a 12-pack of Ramen noodles and a half-gallon of milk.
Heck, the specials are so special this year, you may even be able to afford to give him chocolate milk for an extra special treat.
Yes, Black Friday used to be about running up high credit card balances and giving your kids a debt-ridden Christmas they’d never forget.
Now, since all credit has virtually dried up and the banks are either closed or hanging out their Scrooge shingles, you can still give your kids a Christmas to remember–the gift of survival, thanks to all those caring retailers out there who understand just exactly what the hottest selling items on the market are this season–Pop Tarts! Just be sure to get to the stores super early for the best prices on all your grocery… errr Christmas gift needs.