By: Richard L. Smith
Info Credit: Reuters
I remember when Black Friday meant bundling up before sunrise and heading out with friends or family, ready to battle the crowds.
I can still picture myself pulling into the Walmart lot in Kearny, or tagging along with a buddy or family member on that run to the Walmart in Secaucus. 
Those were the days when you could feel the excitement the minute you walked through the doors, shoulder-to-shoulder shoppers, carts bumping, people laughing, shouting for deals, and that sense that the holiday season truly began right there in the chaos.
There were moments when things got really intense. The deep discounts on TVs and electronics were enough to light people up, adrenaline pumping, nerves buzzing, and some shoppers behaving a bit out of pocket just to catch that last-minute deal.
This year, that energy feels like a distant memory.
Even when I stopped by Willowbrook Mall in Wayne the other day, the scene was decent but nowhere near the packed, high-intensity evenings we all remember.
And the sales just didn’t have the same punch. A lot of that has changed because people simply don’t shop the way they used to.
According to information reported by Reuters, most of the action has shifted online.
Retailers now roll out deals earlier in November, sometimes even weeks before the holiday, so by the time Black Friday arrives, the urgency is gone. What used to be a one-day event has turned into a month-long drip of discounts.
Prices also aren’t falling the way shoppers expect. With tariffs, inflation, and higher shipping costs, retailers don’t have the room they once had to slash prices deeply.
Reuters has also pointed out that holiday sales growth is slowing because customers are more cautious.
People are still showing up to stores, but many are buying only what they really need.
Those dramatic doorbuster deals that once drew massive crowds just aren’t as common, and shoppers know it.
But even with all the changes, Black Friday still matters. Millions of people will still head out today, even if it’s just for the tradition of it — grabbing breakfast, walking the mall, or hunting for that one deal they truly want.
It’s just quieter now, a little calmer, a little less chaotic, shaped by a world where convenience, online shopping, and stretched budgets rule the season.
Black Friday may not feel like the old days of Kearny and Secaucus Walmart runs, but the spirit is still there — just evolving.
And for many of us, the memories are what make it special, even if the crowds and the chaos have faded.