In one week we'll officially kick off the Christmas selling season as a ba-zillion American consumers pack stores the day after Thanksgiving. My boss and his family have an annual tradition where they get up early and hit all of the 4 a.m., 5 a.m., etc. sales with the masses. They're done by mid-morning or so, then have breakfast out and go home.
Personally, I don't want to be anywhere near a store on November 28. Wild horses couldn't drag me to one. In fact, I volunteer to work that day because 1.) no one else wants to, 2.) there's no one in the office and I can get a ton of work done, 3.) I don't have to travel and don't have family around on that day.
What about you? Do you get up early to shop on Black Friday? Why or why not?
I don't, but my husband (blessed man) does. He likes to get out and get deals so that (he says) he can get me more gifts.
I usually buy most of his stuff online (Cyber Monday for me), since he likes sports teams and unique specialty items that we can't find here in town.
Posted by: Miranda | November 21, 2008 at 08:06 AM
Part of our Thanksgiving tradition involves mapping our plan of attack for BF. My dad has played babysitter since my son was an infant while my mom & I hit one mall and my brother and hubby hit the electronic stores. It is more of the thrill of the hunt and the kill that we love! Yes, we are entirely crazy, but it is fun! Yes, we even attacked it the year I was 6 1/2 months pregnant, and the year my daughter was born- leaving her with Popa & big bro...
Posted by: SAHM | November 21, 2008 at 09:02 AM
I got up to stand in line at a Circuit City once at 4:45 am in freezing weather/high winds. The store opened at 6am. I was barely able to buy one of the last laptops (so many people in line before me!), saving $100. The line of people required crowd control... lots of attempts to break the line from the angry mob. Afterward, I caught a cold as a result. Never again.
Posted by: Paul | November 21, 2008 at 09:14 AM
In the last twenty years, I've been out on Black Friday exactly twice. The first time was to buy some bikes for the kids when they were on sale for $99 each, and I was in and out of the store in about ten minutes because the manager I asked to help me carry the bikes to the front registers opened up a register specifically to sell them to me.
The second time was last year when my sister-in-law was visiting, and we made a family event out of hitting some of the late Thursday nite and early Friday morning sales on electronics.
This year, we're traveling to visit our married daughter for the weekend, so we may hit the Black Friday sales just for something to entertain us.
Mostly, I avoid the crowds at shopping centers whenever possible.
Posted by: Jon | November 21, 2008 at 10:04 AM
Last year I got up at 7am to go shopping and that was still too late. The store was packed and slowly running out of the on-sale items. I recommend sacrificing it and getting up real early to avoid longer lines. It's a huge pain, but if you really want to shop, it's worth it and then you can enjoy the rest of your day.
Craig
Posted by: Craig | November 21, 2008 at 12:05 PM
I went 2 years ago, but not again - it was just too crazy for me. I'm going to try most of my shopping online this year.
Plus, I found some better deals online. Such as the TV I bought last year on Thanksgiving Day at Circuitcity.com. It was the same one in the BF Ad, same price and all. I did get up early to buy it, but went back to bed within 5 minutes.
Posted by: Kevin M | November 21, 2008 at 12:19 PM
I've done it a couple times, but not anymore! Instead of getting up early, I'd rather be up late the night before shopping online.
It's my little way to sticking it to "the Man", and his pesky "shirt and shoes required" mandates!
Posted by: Dar | November 21, 2008 at 12:59 PM
Personally I can't imagine a worse way to spend the day than shopping on the day after Thanksgiving. In fact, I stay out of malls from November through January. Thank goodness for online shopping! Years ago I worked for American Airlines and always worked the holiday. They paid double-time and a half and so many people wanted the time off that they were always looking for volunteers!
Posted by: Mary@SimplyForties | November 21, 2008 at 02:05 PM
I hate crowds, and I don't particularly like shopping, so I stay away from the stores. amazon has better deals anyway. Not that I need anything this year. Mary@SimplyForties - you are so right.
Posted by: kitty | November 21, 2008 at 06:59 PM
I've never shopped on that day and probably never will.
It puzzles me how one can go from a day of thanksgiving and feeling satisfied with what one has to an orgy of consumerism the following day.
Posted by: Duane | November 24, 2008 at 12:23 PM
My new sister-in-law's family apparently has a tradition of going out on Black Friday. Last year she piped up at Thanksgiving and said, "So, who's all going shopping tomorrow?" And we all just kind of stared at her like she was from another planet. Most of us have worked Black Friday in retail at one point or another and couldn't really grasp the idea of willingly going into that mess.
Posted by: Slinky | November 24, 2008 at 03:35 PM