Black Friday

bethandmanly wrote:

LindsayCrouseFan wrote:

Well, to me, Christmas is about Christ, not about doorbuster sales. I was talking to a few of my friends, and we agreed that Christmas has gotten too commercial, and people forget what it's all about. JMO.

Exactly. What are we teaching our children if we're so busy buying gifts that we don't share with them the spirit of Christmas and the reason we celebrate it.

Glad you agree with me, Cheryl.

Jesus is the REASON for the season.

I didn't go this year.

I've been a few times before, and thankfully there have never been any reports of people "going insane" and people getting hurt in my area. I hope it'll stay that way.

I've never been one to camp out overnight, either. I get there when I get there. No biggie. The sales are usually for items I don't intend to buy, anyway.

Speaking of how some people forget why the day exists... Here's my friend's take on why money is so scare during Christmas - "It's to show us that money and material things are not important for Christmas. If we have no money or gifts, the true meaning of the day remains the same." I love that!
When we were kids, my mom told us that if Santa didn't bring us a thing, it's still Christmas...the celebration of the birth of Jesus, and we should be happy for the day itself. Yay, mom!


Happy Holidays!

Well put, LM!

You're mother's a smart woman LM.

LM wrote:

Here's my friend's take on why money is so scare during Christmas - "It's to show us that money and material things are not important for Christmas. If we have no money or gifts, the true meaning of the day remains the same." I love that!
When we were kids, my mom told us that if Santa didn't bring us a thing, it's still Christmas...the celebration of the birth of Jesus, and we should be happy for the day itself. Yay, mom!


Happy Holidays!

I love that too, LM. I think we're all struggling in some way this year, and we all need to focus on this. Thanks for sharing that.

bethandmanly wrote:

You're mother's a smart woman LM.

Amen, Cheryl!

Have any of you ever gone? Have any of you seen anything that desirable that you had to go out at 3:00 in the morning and risk getting trampled on? Or has anyone even gone later in the day? Were there still loads of people out then?

I have never done it. And I am always really curious to know who has, what it was that they went for and did they actually get it.


I went a couple of years ago at about 11:00 in the morning (mainly because there was this dress form I wanted and it was pretty cheap). There really wasn't anyone around. It was pretty nice. And from what I have heard, it is even better going later that night because the stores are really empty then and you can still get good deals. Yet, you always hear that there are crowds of people out the day after Thanksgiving and I really didn't see anyone.

Anyway, with the recent news stories about this lately (well, the one I saw today was about stores opening up ON Thanksgiving instead), it just made me curious.

I have done and never will again. I was at WalMart at 9:30 AM one time... it was a complete ZOO. I was walking with my cart and this guy is speeding his way to cross me and actually blew a horn which made me stop in my tracks and he flew past me... LOL It felt like a nightmare. I then went to Kohls and waited for like an hour in line to pay for my stuff...

Too many people for me. Anyway, now there also black Friday deals online soooo... I am avoiding the herd this time... lol and sit quietly in front of my computer while I sip some hot cocoa and click and click and click away to get my goodies.

Well i don't think Canada has Black Friday But they have Boxing Day right after Christmas It is pretty much the same thing I have gone some years Just to get some good deals on movie and i always did lol i am thinking of going again this year

Like Carol, I went once and won't do it again. If I end up paying a few extra bucks for things so be it. Better than me being in jail for popping some nasty person trying to run me over.

I have almost always gone shopping on Black Friday. I don't think I'm going to do Walmart anymore though. We are almost always at my parents' house for Thanksgiving, so Gary and I go shopping before anyone is awake. The Walmart near them does not close so people are in the store all night and grab up the stuff as they set it out. Then they wait in the store until 6 when the prices go into effect. We'll probably just go to the mall this year.

I have never shopped nor will I EVER shop on Black Friday.....I worked it once while at WalMart and it was INSANE!!!! I have been hearing on the news that stores are trying different strategies this year, and some are even opened on Thanksgiving and many are offering BIG specials online.....some with free shipping......so....don't EVER look for me to shop on Black Friday.....must be the bruises you end up with for them to name it that.....

Carol wrote:

I have done and never will again. I was at WalMart at 9:30 AM one time... it was a complete ZOO. I was walking with my cart and this guy is speeding his way to cross me and actually blew a horn which made me stop in my tracks and he flew past me... LOL It felt like a nightmare.

I cannot believe that man actually brings a horn with him!!! That is kind of the main reason why I would never get up early to do any of that. I absolutely have no patience for rudeness.

Carol wrote:

Anyway, now there also black Friday deals online soooo... I am avoiding the herd this time... lol and sit quietly in front of my computer while I sip some hot cocoa and click and click and click away to get my goodies.

You know, I still have never done that. Actually, I kind of forgot about shopping online for deals! I should make that my plans this year.

bethandmanly wrote:

Like Carol, I went once and won't do it again. If I end up paying a few extra bucks for things so be it. Better than me being in jail for popping some nasty person trying to run me over.

Agreed. Which is probably what would have happend if that man had used his horn on me!

Lori wrote:

I have almost always gone shopping on Black Friday. I don't think I'm going to do Walmart anymore though. We are almost always at my parents' house for Thanksgiving, so Gary and I go shopping before anyone is awake. The Walmart near them does not close so people are in the store all night and grab up the stuff as they set it out. Then they wait in the store until 6 when the prices go into effect. We'll probably just go to the mall this year.

If I got up early enough, the wait until 6:00 isn't such a bad idea. If I do go out that day - which wouldn't be until much later in the day - I will avoid Walmart (the place gives me headaches on just an ordinary day). There are a bunch of them here but there are always so many people at each one. Black Friday would be a horrible day there. I also tend to avoid Target. Just too many people standing around or pushing past you without ever even saying "excuse me"! Nobody has manners nowadays, but that is something to talk about some other day.

Rhonda wrote:

I have never shopped nor will I EVER shop on Black Friday.....I worked it once while at WalMart and it was INSANE!!!! I have been hearing on the news that stores are trying different strategies this year, and some are even opened on Thanksgiving and many are offering BIG specials online.....some with free shipping......so....don't EVER look for me to shop on Black Friday.....must be the bruises you end up with for them to name it that.....

I worked at Barnes and Noble years ago. They don't really have sales that day (at least then they didn't), but it was still crazy. It was in a mall. So everyone shopping around in there came into B&N. It was so depressing. Well, Kmart has been open on Thanksgiving for a few years now. At least they would open that night. So it is funny that nobody mentions the fact that they have been doing it for awhile now. I have always wanted to go that night to Kmart just to see what it would be like. Good deals with less people is definitely more the option for me.


I do admit to looking forward to Thanksgiving morning, though, for the ads. I wonder if they will have them in Wednesday's paper now instead of Thursday's because of the places that want to open earlier.

Check this website out http://www.blackfriday.info/online/

MissOleson wrote:

happend

This is a rarity for MissOleson...

Nope, never done it. My hubby works for JCP, and the war stories he tells is enough to make me stay home and get the Christmas lights out. My sister on the other hand loves the relay race to the electronic section. I prefer to go on a calm stroll while shopping for my Christmas gifts, before or after black Friday.

Gin wrote:

I prefer to go on a calm stroll while shopping for my Christmas gifts, before or after black Friday.

The largest mall near us is so busy between Thanksgiving and Christmas that you're lucky to find a parking spot and they have tons of parking. I don't remember it being that bad when I worked retail. We were busy, but no one died over anything. Do you remember some guy getting killed at a WalMart last year? That was enough to make me realize online shopping is much safer.

The only shopping I have ever done on Black Friday is grocery shopping. It's the best time to go because the store is dead. Everyone either already stocked up on groceries while out getting food for Thanksgiving, or they are out shopping at the malls.

I've driven past the malls on Black Friday and have seen the packed parking lots but have never had any interest in fighting the crowds. I'm not much for shopping as it is and the deals aren't worth the hassle of it to me.

Rob wrote:

MissOleson wrote:

happend

This is a rarity for MissOleson...

He gotcha!

Fife is out in full force!

I'm not a Black Friday shopper, either. I think that last year I may have gone to Toys 'R Us later in the afternoon, and that was a first for me. I usually just stay away from shopping that day. If you buy something at a store, and then it goes on sale, most stores offer price adjustments if you take in your receipt within a week. I just did it last week at Kohls. I bought a Polly Pocket set for $16, and then it went on sale for $12. I just took in my receipt and got the price adjustment.

I do it all the time at JCP. I love to just send it with Clay. He's does it more than I do, because he has all his floor people do all the price changes.
Oh, I love Kohls. But Clay HATES for me to go there. I usually tell him I need tampons and they're on a blue light special. He knows then I mean Kohls...with K-mart prices!
Makes him mad!

bethandmanly wrote:

Like Carol, I went once and won't do it again. If I end up paying a few extra bucks for things so be it. Better than me being in jail for popping some nasty person trying to run me over.

Same here. I'm done. The last I went out was maybe three years ago---I was standing in a line around the outside of a Target building, at 4:30am, in the freezing cold, thinking to myself, why am I here again?!?! Seriously, I had like two main things I wanted to get, and I really didn't save enough to justify it. From now on, I enjoy my nice cozy bed the day after Thanksgiving!

Carol wrote:

Check this website out http://www.blackfriday.info/online/

Thanks! I will definitely check that out.

Rob wrote:

MissOleson wrote:

happend

This is a rarity for MissOleson...

Since it is a rare thing, is it safe to say that you will let me off with just a warning this time?

pamh36 wrote:

The only shopping I have ever done on Black Friday is grocery shopping. It's the best time to go because the store is dead. Everyone either already stocked up on groceries while out getting food for Thanksgiving, or they are out shopping at the malls.

You know what? That is actually a pretty good idea. That is something to remember to do!

alexczarn wrote:

He gotcha!

Yeah, I know!

Teresa wrote:

If you buy something at a store, and then it goes on sale, most stores offer price adjustments if you take in your receipt within a week. I just did it last week at Kohls. I bought a Polly Pocket set for $16, and then it went on sale for $12. I just took in my receipt and got the price adjustment.

Interesting. I should try that next time.