The traditional day begins with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on television before a family football game on the lawn. Then, after a plate filled to the brim with turkey, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce, living rooms fill up with families ready for the football game.

Later in the evening, or early the next morning, everyone gets in the car and goes to the mall. Only hours after giving thanks, many Americans are trampling each other to get a good deal.

While it may be impossible to stop the beast that Black Friday has become, this year nearly 40 stores are making an effort to keep it confined to one day. According to the Christian Science Monitor, 37 retailers will not be opening their doors on Thanksgiving Day. Among those staying dark are IKEA, GameStop, TJ Maxx and JoAnn’s Fabric. Outdoor store REI is staying closed on Friday as well, encouraging customers to #OptOutside.

Sophomore KasiDee Cox hopes that this campaign will help avoid the over-commercialization of Black Friday.

“It may not keep people home, but it definitely makes a statement,” Cox said.

She thinks that Black Friday has drawn the attention away from the true meaning of Thanksgiving, which is “spending time with family and being thankful for what [you] have.”

REI will be paying their employees for Black Friday, which Cox thinks is a great idea.

“Every company should do that,” Cox said.

It may go without saying that Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year. Every year it grows more and more, with stores opening earlier and earlier. Black Friday is traditionally a kickoff to the Christmas season. But the question students are asking is why must it begin right after Thanksgiving?

Cox doesn’t think it has to be this way.

“If the sales were on the weekend after Thanksgiving, people would still get family time and deals would still be able to be taken advantage of,” Cox said. “[Black Friday] is a good way for businesses to make money and get attention, so I don’t see them pulling back anytime soon, whether it’s on Thanksgiving weekend or not.”

Freshman Miranda Carey said she doesn’t think stores should take advantage of customers with Black Friday deals.

“Black Friday is just a way for businesses to con more money out of their customers,” Carey said. She carefully avoids getting caught up in the hectic crowds and commercialism of the holiday.

Cox said her family uses Black Friday to spend time together. They go to the Walmart in her hometown of Independence, Kansas, to “people watch.” Though shopping on Black Friday means an hour-and-a-half drive to Tulsa for Cox, the reward can be savings and memories to last a lifetime.

According to CNN, Black Friday began in the ’50s in Philadelphia. Thursday was Thanksgiving, Friday was for shopping and Saturday was for the Army/Navy football game. Police officers coined the term during their lengthy shifts.

From there, the holiday grew into what it is today: a chance for shoppers to save big on the must-have gifts for the holidays.

For most Americans, the best advice may be to go forth and save, but at least wait until the leftovers have been put away.