The Hell-idays are finally over.......

It's been a while.

Working in retail is always rough this time of the year. I work at Best Buy and have done so for the past 10 years. And every year it's the same marathon-like endurance run that I have to go through.

From the start of November to the end of December it's a grueling crawl to make it through the year. It all starts with the preparation that I have to do beforehand which leads up to the 13+ hour day I work on Black Friday to the maniacal last weeks leading up to Christmas Eve. And finally I'm in the end run of the return/exchange season  where people dump off other peoples best intentions and use up all their gift cards.

It's been these two months that make it very hard for me to enjoy both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Now, this isn't whining. This is the life I have chosen. This puts money in my account which in turn supports my wife and myself.  I know that every year that I will work amazingly hard. It's o.k., though because the other several months of the year are easy to manage.

What makes it very hard to enjoy this time of the year is seeing the worst in others. Every year it's seeing the pettiness and most selfish of emotions in shoppers that frustrates me.

On Black Friday, I see behaviors that borders on obsessive and abusive that doesn't make me feel good about the holidays. When I see a line that goes about 100+ yards wrapping around our parking lot it doesn't make me feel good knowing that peoples wishes will be fulfilled. Instead it disgusts me to know that half of those people in that long line will just resell those doorbusters on Ebay and Craigslist therefor depriving people who would really enjoy those items and forcing people to go through less then reputable channels to make those dreams come true.

I see thousands of people who display ignorant behaviors who only think of themselves and vent their anger and frustration on employees who are only trying to make a living and aren't worthy of the abuse that is given to them.

I see where the holidays have become materialistic and where all worships of faith are put to the wayside and instead are replaced by the charge of consumerism.

I see where people value the presents given and received more then the time spent with family.

I see that every year it get worse.

I watched The Charlie Brown Christmas like I do every year. And the message in it is so right on yet seems to get further and further away from the reality of now.

It could be said that if this bothers me as much as it does then why keep working at a place that helps bring all of this to the forefront of my life?

Because even if I were to walk away I'd still know the behaviors and culture is still out there. And even though I would no longer be near the epicenter of the storm, I can still see the damage it does from a distance.

So I now prepare to relax and look forward to the next year. And in the end I'm grateful that it's another year I get to see. I just wish I didn't have to see it get worse each year. And I hope that it eventually gets better.

Happy New Year , Everyone.