It’s Black Friday, the typical start of the holiday shopping season. But as with so many other things, this year’s version will not look like it usually does.
Black Friday has traditionally been about in-person shopping. “Touching stuff, browsing for the family, the whole experience: Those are literally all of the things we’re telling people to avoid,” Sapna Maheshwari, who covers retail for The Times, told me.
Some Americans will still go out today. Many already went to malls last weekend to get ahead of potential holiday crowds, according to The Wall Street Journal. But others are following the advice of public health experts and moving even more of their shopping online.
The big question is how many of the pandemic shopping habits will endure. Some of them most likely will, retail analysts say. “A lot of people have learned how to online shop this year, just like they learned how to Zoom and FaceTime with their families,” Sapna says.
But it’s also important not to exaggerate the trend. In-person shopping is still an enjoyable experience. Many people will miss it this weekend — and will happily return to it once a coronavirus vaccine is widely available.
For more: The Times is covering Black Friday around the U.S. today.
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ARTS AND IDEAS
Gifts for the coming months of pandemic life
Many people will still be stuck at home for much of the next few months. So we asked Christine Cyr Clisset, an editor at Wirecutter, for suggestions of holiday gifts that will make those months more tolerable. Here’s her advice:
Low-cost options. A portable phone charger or touchscreen gloves can cost less than $30 and can help you be outdoors. An apron or pepper mill can spruce up your kitchen, and a smart bulb can improve a room’s ambience.
Connect with others. The Google Nest Hub Max and Alexa Echo Show 8 offer intuitive ways for younger children or less tech-savvy people to have virtual conversations. One Wirecutter editor uses the Nest Hub Max to bake bread with her uncle.
The pangram from yesterday’s Spelling Bee was normally. Today’s puzzle is above — or you can play online if you have a Games subscription.