Holiday Discussions

As much as I would love to this year, that's not going to happen. Our fourth child is due on the 25th, so I don't think that they'll let me leave the hospital just to go shopping, though it would be nice :) Oh, the deals that I will be missing....

I'm not sure. I never really know until the day before when I look thru all the Black Friday ads and see if there's anything I want or need.

I have a few funny stories about Black Friday....

It was the first holiday after I had moved out of my parents house so I wanted to get some cheap Christmas stuff from Michael's but they had a limit of one per customer.  So I talked my mom into going with me and I kept reminding her "OK I'll pick you up at 5am, be ready".  I kept saying it like all night.  So the next morning I get there at like 4:55am and find her sitting on the porch waiting for me with a huge ice pack on her face.  She apparently hit the snooze button too many times and when she finally looked at the alarm clock and saw that she had slept way too late, she jumped out of bed but got tangled in the sheets and whacked her face on the nightstand.  She looked like she had gotten into a huge Thanksgiving day brawl or something.

So the next funny story is about my dad and it took place about 2 years ago.  He had been really sick, like almost died several times waiting for a liver transplant.  So that year we all sat arond looking at the Black Friday ads and making our lists of what we were going to run out and get in the morning.  All the while he was telling us we were nuts.  So after a long night of eating and partying, no one felt like fighting the crowds and getting up early so we didn't. Well about 8am, in walks my dad who had gotten up at 4am and got all the stuff we had on our lists and brought breakfast too.  So it was funny that all the healthy people were too tired to get up, but the really sick guy went out to fight the crowds.  I guess the handicap license plate helped him save time  :)

Ahh Black Friday, the day I can't wait to sleep in while all the crazy fools are out looking for deals on junk they probably didn't need anyway. 

I did it once when a friend really wanted to, but she wanted to go so early and wasn't happy that I wasn't willing to go any earlier than 9 AM!  Sorry, I like sleep.  We found everything was so messy and picked over.  People are so rude on that day that they just rip things off the shelf and make a mess!  And for what?  To save 5$ on a necklace?

My husband works retail and works on Black Friday, but I now know (from his personal experience) that MOST the deals are on crap product anyway.  You aren't going to find a state of the art digital camera for 75% off.  You may find a really good "deal" on a digital camera, but it's probably a low-end product anyway.  

My husband tells me that really good deals on really good products are few and far between.  If you really want a good deal on a good product, you should be seeking deals all year long.  My HP Camera was having a special when we bought it (it was in April a few years ago).  I saved almost 200$  These deals happen every day, if you really want something, you just gotta keep your eyes peeled.

You guys have fun, I'll be home eating Thanksgiving leftovers and visiting with family :)

Awww Buggheart that first story is sooo funny!!! The second one is awesome! What a dad! :) I love going to Aeropostale and getting 75$ Hoodies for 20 bucks, makes me feel like I can actually afford expensive clothes!! lol. And the Bath & Body Works...if you can get in has all the hand soap and body washes for around 2 bucks so I stalk up for the year! I shopped mostly for my kids last year and got so much stuff Im really glad I did go to save money. You can also go to Sears and get your husband something great in the tool section, last year there whole Tool Center was 50% off! I stood in line for almost 2 hours in there. Got up at 4 am, got to the mall at 5 and didnt get home til 8 pm that night haha I was beat!

I might, not sure. It all depends if my mother in law wants to do it again. We both did it last year...went to the local Walmart and was shocked by the crowds and everyone just about killing each other to get to the electronics area. Now the local Walmart has remodeled into almost like a Supercenter and has a much much bigger electronics area. Now people won't be killing each other to get to the sales. Well, one can hope.

I will do 95% of my shopping on line. I have only gone to the store a couple of times with bad experinces. My sister is a shopaholic and hate say this but one of those VERY rude people. I was so embrased that I will not do it again.

I'm so excited this year I get to shop for my first grandbaby,she will be 8mo. old.

Happy shopping to everyone!!

Growing up we never shopped on Black Friday and consequently as an adult I have continued that tradition; however I may try it this year because of mother's experience with last years Black Friday when she was visiting one of my sisters.

Have never gotten up at 4am or any of that craziness but I am going to do it this year. 4am... not sure about that one but I am going to try it! I went after I got off of work last year, like 5pm, and found some great deals for my children! They had towels, slippers, shoes, and some other things at awesome prices at Walmart. I love shopping for my babies and my fiance. I already know what I want to get them so I'm only getting more excited as the days pass! I LOVE THE HOLIDAYS!!!

KaciOhio, you crazy you~!  j/k...I always watch all my neighbors pile out of the street around that time...I've never done it, I'm claustrophobic~!

I do laugh at the neighbors though, esp. the ones who aren't on the internets.  I'm usually sitting right here with my butt parked in a chair. 

:)

I don't know what happened to my post, maybe it ghost posted lol..anyways, just wanted to add that while my butt will be parked in a chair, I'll be having leftover turkey for breakfast.  And lunch, and dinner.

Ok, there it is~!  That was a wonky thing...

I usually start early enough not to but, sometimes there are those to-good-to pass-up deals, we'll see see what the advertisement bring when the time comes.

I'm with you Nancy. What's funny is turkey is said to be tiring, yet people all over the US get up and go shopping after eating tons of turkey the day before!  I don't eat meat, but the pie, the appetizers, the side dishes.. those all fill me up and tire me out!

Not me, no way, no how... NOTHING is worth dealing with all of those obnoxious and pushy shoppers.  I tried to run just to Kohl's last year, but the line went all the way around the store so I turned around and walked right back out. 

I'll stick to online shopping.

I might, not sure.

I'm a lazy BF shopper. I'm more than happy to let all of the crazies, er, die-hards stand in the cold for hours. However, I'll usually get out there around 9:00 and head to the local stores to see what they have.

This year money is pretty tight though, so we'll see. I already have 90% of my shopping done (and wrapped!) right now, so I may just go for a new sheet set or something.

We might do Black Friday this year, we've done it for the past five years and its been great.

My little boy gets a kick out of getting up early to "shop at night".

I do everything I can to avoid it- especially the early morning deals that involve waking up at 3am and waiting in line for stores to open. But I admit I have given in to the Black Friday craze more than once, due to some incredible bargains I couldn't pass up.

I will hit black Friday online lol!  I worked in retail for many years.  I can't be part of the absolute horror (haha)!!!

Not for me... I have gone twice with my second son though to get toys that the kids were wanting for Christmas. One year we got Gameboys really cheap. We didn't see them on display so we asked a clerk and he got them out of the backroom. The crowds weren't huge for the things we were looking for so we went in, bought the items we went for and then went out for breakfast.

Never have, and probably never will. THe deals aren't work the hassle and getting out of bed in the cold. I am Cyber Monday all the way.

I'm with you on this one.  I've become a Cyber Monday fan.

Actually, I don't shop at all for xmas.  I make ppl stuff.  But I do go online to see what we may need if anything.  I remember the cyber Monday thing now...thanx for the reminder.

Turkey has triptophan, that's why we get sleepy...

Well I only have one adult to shop for this year because we finally decided it doesn't make sense to exchange gifts with the family with half of them being broke, and the other half not needing/wanting anything really.  So the only adult left is my friend who I always exchange with and I already know what I'm going to get her.... no malls needed though as I'm ordering from someplace special.  I'm not gonna say it in case, by chance, she finds this.

Then that leaves 4 kids, 2 just born this month, one is 4 and one is 2.5.  So basically - kids that age are easy!  I already know what I'm going to get my 2.5 year old nephew and the rest I think almost anything will do b/c they are so young that any "learning" toy is the way to go.

Overall, Ever since we decided NOT to do gifts for everyone, I've felt more relaxed about the holidays!  I didn't stress before, but I did spend A LOT of time trying to come up with something unique and useful for everyone on my list.  Usually I ended up spending way more money then intended b/c the only gift ideas I really wanted to get them were expensive!  This year we are having his family over for Christmas Eve so making dinner cost enough.  I'll also make my family some cookies or dessert to share :)

**note: I actually thought this was the "christmas shopping thread" but it fits here too in response to Nancy :)

My husband says he's going to shop for his two young nephews, but I've tried to encourage him to make them toys out in his wood shop area.  Don't know if he's going to, we shall see.  I hope he does try.

All these shopping threads get jumbled into one in my head.

It is cool if he can make wooden toys!  I'm not skilled enough to make anything the kids could play with, although I've made a lot of things before.  For my nephew's bday I made him a Shutterfly photo book of the ABCs where each letter had a picture of him and a word relating it to the letter.  My sister won't let him play with it by himself so he won't rip it :)  But he and her can read it together.

I've done a lot of homemade gifts but they usually take me a LONG time, I'm talking all year!  So since I've made something for pretty much everyone, I'm taking a break from that for awhile while I try to finish my own projects that have been untouched for a long time.

I'm definately going to do Black Friday if I have off. I stock up all year long w/ the freebies for cosmetics and bath and body works and put together nice gift baskets. But I do like to stock up during Black Friday. I esp love making homemade gift baskets w/ a few homemade items. One thing I've done is gone to artscow.com and signedup you get 1200 pics and assorted items for free just pay for s/h which isn't bad. Made a bunch of letter openers and watches for family and friends using various pictures. Even made my boss a set of coasters w/ her and her husband's pic on it for Christmas. Only paid the s/h..total I've spent on s/h is about $15 for all! done in one shipment to save $$$. will be putting these items in various gift baskets.

One funny story about Black Friday back in 1983. I was working for the now defunct McCrory Corp as an Assistant Mgr in Training where it was announced that each store would have12 of the brand new cabbage patch dolls. I came in at 6am and there was literally a line of over 200 people all for 12 dolls. My boss was over 6 ft tall I was then a measly 5 ft 3 in tall and maybe 100 lbs soaking wet.  He left me in charge of giving the dolls out! I literally had to throw them across the back of the store to avoid getting hit. We even had to call security. All for a measly doll. Moral of the story? Shop online it's much safer and your chances of getting what you want a lot higher. Plus w/ the price of gas you might just want to pay that s/h charge and during Black Friday many online retailers will ship for free!

Just decided going to do my Black Friday online this year (Monday I believe is the official date for online retailers!) But looking for great deals now and throughout the year to save on the rush!

I have never done Black Friday before. I wouldn't like the crowds of people pushing and shoving . But good luck to all of you who do! Thanks for the info about doing it online sunninjim! Take care everyone!

What is Cyber Monday?