Black Friday is Dead.

Plus small business recommendations, Saweetie, and Lindsay Lohan's Christmas movie.

Dec 02, 2024

Hope y’all had a great Thanksgiving. I’m sending this a few days late (don’t worry, another newsletter will come out this Friday) because I DESPERATELY needed a few days off from writing and editing to decompress. And sleep! And man, has the sleep been amazing.

I’ve also finally put up my Christmas tree (had to get it up before December 1, just for my sanity), although there’s still some touches I need to add. Like iridescent tinsel and velvet bows and dried orange slices (that I’m making today). More on Christmas trees later this week.

In the meantime, I’m excited to share the latest newsletter, this time on the Death of Black Friday and how that’s a good (and maybe not so good) thing.

Where Have All the Shoppers Gone?

Black Friday is dead.

Really, Black Friday has been dead. And yet every year, my sister and I go shopping on Black Friday. We’re not interested in deals so much as we’re interested in decorations. We usually grab a quick breakfast at a diner in our hometown, then go searching for interesting ornaments or fresh garland or unique wrapping paper for this year’s gifts. It’s a special tradition, one that sort of flies in the face of what Black Friday is meant to be.

Or was meant to be.

For the Black Friday of the aughts and 2010s is all but gone.

And thank goodness for that.

Even back then, I could never quite understand all of the madness. A “good deal” makes sense on the surface, but my inherent skepticism (even during childhood) meant I couldn’t help but assume that these “deals” were for the cast-offs and clunkers that stores were quickly trying to disperse of. Having worked retail for many Black Fridays during my teens and early 20s (few things are as frightening as middle-aged suburban women with money to burn, misplaced anger, and a superiority complex), I knew many of the best items in our department store were often hidden by employees who wanted to purchase them for themselves. And many of the other “best” deals were for the sort of things that, to me, didn’t need to be replaced every year. Like a television or a camera or a cell phone.

But a large part of Black Friday’s appeal was not about getting a deal so much as it was about getting something new. Anything, really. Consider it a short-lived, ultra-intense form of retail therapy for folks with empty holes to fill within their hearts and (soon-to-be) empty wallets.

And maybe part of it was about the ritual, the race. The finish line was the new thing. But the race—the coordinated research on finding something worthy of a 4 a.m. wake-up call, the camping outside in below-freezing temperatures, the mad dash once doors are open, the success of getting something when others got nothing—was enough thrill to last some folks a lifetime (or at least until mid-January).

Pre-pandemic, Black Friday was already on a steady decline. Online shopping, once relegated to Cyber Monday deals, offered far greater returns (and points for price comparison) than your local Wal-mart. But post-2020, the race just didn’t make sense. With people stuck indoors and online shopping becoming the standard instead of the alternative, the need for Black Friday madness no longer existed. Many stores that stayed open through Thanksgiving and into Black Friday rolled back their hours, finally giving their employees a few hours (or even the day off). And now, as we enter 2025, the “trend” doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.

That’s not to say that all online shopping (or any online shopping) is a good thing. As Black Friday has died, so too has support for small businesses. If everyone is shopping online, who’s shopping at your favorite local vintage boutique or candlemaker or kids toy store? Unfortunately, not many people.

One unfortunate trend I saw over the last few weeks was the rise of local shops I love making Instagram posts about supporting their businesses this holiday season. With the rise of places like Temu, the allure of TikTok Shop, and the ease of Amazon, many small business retailers are feeling the squeeze. The death of Black Friday may spell the end of (some) in-store retail exploitation, but it doesn’t mean things are easier for all workers everywhere.

If ever there was a time to shop small, now is it.

As for now, I’m trying to do my part in the best ways that I can. There’s no reason why that beautiful cashmere scarf or that lovely, seasonal candle or that indie perfume can’t be purchased in store (if you have the means). So I’m going to do it. And I’m going to encourage you to do it as well.

And if you absolutely can’t step in-store, know that most of your favorite small businesses have online shops, too.

Interested in shopping small? Jump to the Hyperspecific Gift List for selections from some of my favorite small businesses.

See

Our Little Secret: Out of the three Lindsay Lohan Netflix movies (two of which are Christmas-themed), this one is my favorite. When Lindsay first re-emerged into the acting world, I noticed a stiffness in her performances that felt like equal parts fear and apprehension. I imagine acting is like a muscle and it takes some dedicated time to get back into the swing of things. In Our Little Secret, she seems to have found her groove. Some of that can be thanks to her co-star, Ian Harding, who I think is underrated as an actor. He’s also a charmer, and if you enjoyed him in this, you’ll probably also enjoy him in one of my favorite (and one of the best) Hallmark Christmas movies, Ghosts of Christmas Past. But maybe the other part of it is that she no longer has anything to “prove.” The “comeback” narrative has all but disappeared surrounding press for her movies. Now, she can settle in nicely, let her acting speak for itself, and not worry about any external pressures for returning to the industry she once dominated. Finally, it doesn’t hurt to have BOTH Kristen Chenoweth (right during Wicked season) and Tim Meadows. Really, what more could you ask for? Now streaming, Netflix.

Finding Mr. Christmas: I started watching this Hallmark+ reality show under the recommendation of my friend Joe, and I was immediately charmed. It’s silly, wholesome viewing with somewhat high stakes (a starring role in a Hallmark movie). Hosted by Hallmark Channel mainstay Jonathan Bennett and featuring guest appearances from many popular Hallmark actors, I’ve found the race to find a new Mr. Christmas well worth the discounted $1.99 “Hallmark+ on Roku Channel” subscription. Now streaming, Hallmark+.
The Day Before Christmas: The switched present/phone/bag trope is one that’s not as sporadic as it may seem, and it’s at the forefront of this new Christmas romcom. So while I haven’t watched this new BET+ film yet, I’m going to give it a try based on that premise alone. Now streaming, BET+.
A Nonsense Christmas: Sabrina Carpenter’s A Nonsense Christmas, featuring performances from Tyla and Chappel Roan, premieres today. Now streaming, Netflix.

I didn’t know Saweetie was still making music, let alone a Christmas song. But I kind of love this. More rapping Christmas songs. The only ones in the Christmas Music Canon (for me) are by Run DMC.

Speaking of new Christmas music, Brenda Lee has just released a Spanish-language version of her Christmas Number One track (“Rocking Around the Christmas Tree”) titled “Noche Buena Y Navidad.” It comes with a cute animated video, too. More of this, please.

Kelly Clarkson has a Christmas room in her house that she keeps decorated year-round. This is the sort of Rich Person Madness that I would absolutely do. But I think I’d keep the room locked outside of the holiday season, with the key hidden away only for the most desperate moments for me during the year (i.e. the night before my birthday).

Share The Christmas Cache

Advent of the Week

Advent has officially begun (Day 1 of the Liberty London advent calendar features the delicious “Ianthe Oud” perfume), but that doesn’t mean you can’t still participate. This 12-day advent calendar from Voluspa features some of the loveliest seasonal scents. A little pricey, but worth it knowing the average price of a regular Voluspa candle. $165, Voluspa.