5 Ways the "The Hunger Games" is really about holiday shopping

‘Tis the holiday season and all through the stores, there’s fighting in aisles and war galore.

It was only a matter of time until we compared the two. They’re both bloody and intense, but we still shop ‘til we drop for a few toys and some tube socks. How do they relate? Let me count the ways.

1. The Cornucopia is Black Friday. There are piles and piles of desirable (or not so desirable) things that are basically free. The only catch is you have to risk life and limb to get anything good. Every year there are accidental (or not so accidental) deaths in the name of getting a good haul for the kids and grandkids.

2. Post-Black Friday sales. Long after the Cornucopia has been exhausted of its resources, the higher-ups will throw in chances to get some useful items to generate more excitement for the crowd. It's like in the first "Hunger Games" book, when Katniss and Peeta are hiding in a cave and Peeta needs medicine. The Capitol drops bags off at the Cornucopia to spark another fight. These post-Black Friday sales are essentially the same thing. Stores “mark down” the leftovers in hopes of generating more revenue and say these sales are the “Last of the Season” to trick us into getting us in their stores. Sad thing is, it must work because they wouldn’t keep doing it if it didn’t.

3. The Arena is full of deceit. Just like Foxface weaseled her way into the booby-trapped pile of goods without a scratch during the Games, the folks you run into at the store finagle their way into getting the things you want. Or the sales people will convince you to buy something you don’t really need, just because it’s a killer deal.

4. Everyone is Competition. Tying into the previous point, only one person can leave the arena (usually). Although there are often alliances made, when the rest of the tributes die it’s every person for themselves. The same goes for holiday shopping. You might drag a couple of friends or family members along with you to make your shopping excursion easier; however, at the end of the day, they have Christmas lists to knock out, too. Of course, you all have that one expensive and rare item to put on your list. The love between family and friends can only go so far.

5. No sane person actually wants to do it. You know those people that have all their holiday shopping done by Dec. 1. Those people that enjoy trucking out in the snow for that fancy blender you saw on an infomercial. These are the career tributes that have been brainwashed into believing that The Hunger Games is the most important thing in their lives. All the other people don’t want to participate. Think about how much money people spend each year on things that aren't event theirs, just because other people buy them stuff they don’t even want. For a strapped-for-cash college student that's a tall order. Even if you don’t mind spending money for your loved ones, no one actually likes braving the cold or scouring the internet to buy gifts.

With that, prepare to go holiday hunting, and "may the odds be ever in your favor."