We brave the crowds and go shopping if there is a sale on something we want to buy for Christmas or just for us. It puts me in a shopping mood and even if we stand in line at some places, it is fun to listen to other people talk about what they are doing.
2 years ago, they were giving away a free ornament at Mervyn's to their customers. Their doors opened at 7:00a. I got there at 7:30 or so, and the parking lot was so packed, and you could barely walk around in the store. That was the first and that was the last time I went shopping the day after Thanksgiving!
I cannot stand the traffic, either. Seems like up until Christmas, it is so packed, even Mon-Friday in the afternoon!
I always have to work the day after Thanksgiving, so I don't get to shop.
Several years ago, I worked at Shopko as a checkout person. On the day after Thanksgiving, people were outside the store waiting to get in at 5:30 a.m.. By 7:00 a.m. the store was packed with shoppers, and it was just really wild all day!!!
When I worked in retail, I used to love those busy days. They were more interesting than the slow days and the time went so fast.
But as a shopper, I never go the day after Thanksgiving. It's just too crowded and I don't have the patience for the lines any more. Last time I went, it was with one of my aunts. They had a tradition for the ladies in her family to all go shopping *for themselves* after working so hard on Turkey day, but I didn't buy anything more than lunch. I might go later in the weekend, though.
Actually we're planning on Harry Potter tomorrow night, because our apartment complex is doing a parents' night out. That means we don't have to pay for a sitter! Some of those effects look a little too scary for my daughter, so we decided not to bring her.
Oh, I just don't think I could stand the crowds. I'm way too much of an introvert the way it is, get me in a store crowded that way and I just want to find a corner to hide in!
I usually do all my shopping in August, September and October. What I don't have done by then I do online.
You know, for the last 2 years I get the paper on thanksgiving day, read the ads for toy sales and what not, then I brave billions of other people who manage to get to the stores about the same time I do, which is around 630-700 in the morning... I try very hard not to get upset with people (I found it VERY effective to smile and make it a point to tell rude people " happy holidays or something like that) and then once ive hit all the stores I feel drained. I say the same thing every year to Sandie, PUHleeeez don't let me do that again, and every year she tries, but do I listen, of course not, I'm a man. Anyway, just the other day Sandie and I were talking about the day after Thanksgiving sales, and once again I strongly proclaimed " not this year.. no way.. nope. (Ya'll know that last year Sandie and I actually caught a good sale at Ames on Turkey day...) Heh, but not this year.. nope... uh-huh..
After my usual early morning run to the store this Morning, to get stuff I forgot to get for San the night before, (lest I forget flowers for her and Kylee) I was on my way out and you'll never guess what I got....
A paper, chock full of all these really good ads for sales tomorrow...
Nope no way, ain't happenning... nu-huh.. yeah right..
I will definitely be thinking of you tomorrw Ken. Look at the bright side, one week from tomorrow and I'll be there in person to bust your horns. Yeah. Like I'm not excited (it's like my Christmas present to myself spending four days with the Connecticut group), I've only been packed for a week already.
I WON!!! Ken is still sleeping and it's 830!!! I don't think he saw anything in the ads last night that he HAD to go get. I was going through the ads myself, of course looking at the (reg) prices since I would be getting those. I was stunned that they had a car coin sorter at Radio Shack on SALE for 14.99, then I ran across a Job Lot ad and they had the exact same thing for 4.99. This time of year you have to be so careful about shopping around.
I never brave the crowds on the day following Thanksgiving. Nope, no way. I hate to shop anyway, especially with kids. My two year old is the queen of whining when we are in a store and its not worth the hassle.
I prefer to wait till the beginning of December and do as much catalog and online shopping that I can.
But today is a special day for us, we always do our christmas tree and decorations the day after Turkey Day. Sooooo, I 'll be lugging up the boxes from the basement and watch my kids eyes twinkle at all the pretty stuff.
Happy Holidays.
Sounds like a fun day! We're moving Dec. 1 so I'm not going to bother doing anything here. But this IS the weekend to do it, I think. Why don't you leave the kids home with someone while you shop? At least, most of my shopping is FOR the kid, I couldn't do it if she was tagging along with me!
Well, I do leave them with my husband at night so I can get out and shop. But in general, I hate to shop anytime. I am just not the "shopping kind" of gal!!! As far as having them with me, well I try to do that shopping on my own when I am buying their gifts. I just hate all the hustle and bustle. Much easier to do it from a catalog from the comfort of my own home.
Maybe as I age I'll be a better shopper! At least thats what my mom says.:tounge2:
I responded that I go shopping after Thanksgiving and today is that day. My husband and I got up at 5:00 to hit the stores at 6:00 am. The first store was so crowded you could hardly get in the door. Getting down the aisles was near impossible. We left there and decided to go home. We were home for 45 minutes, then went to a furniture store and it wasn't as crowded. My husband bought me a rocking chair and two new end tables for Christmas. They are wood and will be finished in medium walnut. I was really happy with this purchase. It will be delivered the week before Christmas. My husband of course wants something, too, but he will wait for another day to go shopping. We give each other a gift that we can choose ourselves. It was fun and I think now I'm in a better Christmas mood.
Oh yes, we stopped at a pet store and got Smokey a new scratching post and a mousie. This isn't for Christmas.
I wish at this time of year Wal-Mart would open a register for those of us just buying every day stuff. I'm running low on toilet paper and will resort to using the sale ads, rather than brave those crowds.
The K-Mart near us is staying open for 60 hours! They say they are reasonably sure that they will have to then close for at least 24 hours to restock the shelves afterwards!
oh, I know exactly what you mean Deb. I have to buy a gift for a bday party today and WalMart would have been the perfect choice. BUT, I know it will be so hectic that I am thinking of resorting to giving $$ instead.
I think we should write to them and suggest a "normal" register.:tounge2: