To Shop or Not To Shop…
There was a time in my life where I said, “I don’t get out of bed for NOBODY at 4:00am,especially to shop!” when asked to participate in Black Friday shopping.
<img src=”{filedir_1}black_friday.jpg” alt=”black friday” height=”212″ width=”238″ />
The thought of getting out of bed to stand in line and shop at that hour was ABSURD to me.
Then the stores started opening earlier and earlier…so I started to join an already-established tradition with my in-laws, but it involved standing outside in line all night. So I actually stood by my word that I wouldn’t get out of bed at 4am to shop…now I just don’t go to bed on Thanksgiving. Crazy…I know. But there is something to be said about the thrill of the chase. The challenge of making sure we all divide and conquer to secure that most coveted “door-buster”! It’s very hard to explain, but it is actually like a game. Who can outwit, outplay and outlast all of the other shoppers while ending up with – pardon the expression – the most toys!
Last year a lot of stores advertised that they would open at midnight, but due to Massachusetts blue laws, they couldn’t open until 1:00am – unbeknownst to all of us standing in line. 2 years ago we got in line at Toys R Us at 10pm – they were opening at midnight – the line of people was already wrapped around the store, down the end of the driveway and along the neighboring sidewalk. Luckily, the store opened at 12:01 (which they can no longer do) – however -we never set foot into the store until 1:30am! That’s how long it took us to get through the line! <img src=”{filedir_1}toys_r_us.jpg” alt=”toys r us” height=”180″ width=”279″ />We grabbed our 2 purchases and then had to wait in line in the EXTREMELY small and crowded electronics department for an hour! I was literally sitting on the floor – miserable! We finally got to the register, picked up the iPod touch that came with a free $50 Toys R Us gift card, checked out and were back in the car at 2:45am! Seriously?! Then we moved on to Target – they opened at 5:00am – we stood in line there for 2 hours! We maneuvered our way through the crowd and manage to get everything we needed before a line at the registers even formed! Victory! (The year prior to that we waited in the check out line at Target for 50 minutes! and ps – I am a cranky shopper to begin with, so it wasn’t pretty!)
Regardless, after a full 12 hours of shopping and door busting, it always seems worth it because there is always a new story or two to share, lots of laughs and always happy squeals of joy when that present that they “just gotta have” is opened!
This year, there is a lot of controversy over stores now opening up on Thanksgiving night. I have to say, I refuse to give up my Thanksgiving to shop. All I can do is hope that the $179 40″ LCD tv is still available when I get there – most likely at midnight. If you are planning on door-busting, make sure you know when your stores are opening. Blue Laws still exist in MA, ME and RI.
Check out this great article in the NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/21/us/blue-laws-curb-consumerism-where-pilgrims-gave-thanks.html?pagewanted=1
Happy Thanksgiving and happy shopping!!