No, I have not felt the need to get up that early and be trampled. Two years ago I went with a friend just to accompany her and I hated it.

Aw, heck no!

I've never done it and won't for the reasons you just mentioned. I don't adore shopping to begin with. The thought of going on a bus trip shopping or driving far away to make a full day of "outlet shopping" doesn't even appeal to me one bit. I have to really be in the mood and honestly am more of an online girl.

I used to be, but not anymore. I do love a good bargain and there have been a few instances in which there was a sale that indeed wasn't repeated during the season.

HOWEVER...that was then, this is now. I no longer believe there are so many incredible values with the economy sliding; I've instead switched to a combination of online shopping and waiting till late to get specific items that end up being marked down. A couple of other factors: I have every possible holiday supply I could ever need. So no reason to brave crowds for ornaments, trees, decorations, wrap etc. Not to mention that retailers have started Black Friday creep in earnest. What used to be limited to the decorating stores like Joanne's and Michael's is expanding to other retailers. (You know, the way those stores have their Xmas holiday supplies marked down by right after Halloween??!!)

And last but not least...my holiday budget is much lower this year because of uncertainty about finances. I have always had a large shopping list, but within my extended family there are people who have been laid off, others whose job status is uncertain and others who want to stay conservative and solvent just in case. That means the lengthy guest list has been pared and the gifts that are being bought will be more modest. We're also finally cutting out the gifts to adult siblings and in-laws (THANK GOD) which will help a lot. Even with a budget limit, all those $20 token items add up when you're buying for 20-30 people. I"m not doing little gifts for everyone in the office either. Finally realized there's no point; most folks don't need or want anything, some of them will feel guilty and the rest don't give a damn about me or the gifts so why bother? Me, cynical...nah :).

So, no Black Friday crowd madness for me. I probably will do some online shopping; love those sales plus free shipping. And online shopping can yield more unique or offbeat gifts than trekking the mall for the same same old stuff.

As for the second question-I learned my lesson one year shopping for a special toy for my niece. Got up at an ungodly hour, drove to numerous branches of a store looking for the magical item, spent most of my morning and all my patience getting the Great Deal and...it was on sale cheaper at Target the next week!

Ann

Last year, DD and I went out for a couple of hours in the late afternoon/dinnertime time frame. I guess that doesn't count as true BF shopping, but we got some fabulous deals and found the stores to be rather empty. I think the staff was still there, but all the tired folks who had been shopping all day had gone home to pass out. We'll probably go again this year.

For most of our very limited gift shopping (kids only) we like to shop in our locally-owned stores and they don't seem to have "door busters" like the chain stores. They did have the annual Bag Day in town this past weekend where you could have any item for 20% off in some stores and anything-you-can-fit-in-the-bag for 20% off at other stores. I heard it was bedlam and I'm glad I didn't go.

I'd just rather buy 20% less stuff and save my money that way. Just about everyone I know would probably be better off with 20% less stuff in their lives anyway...

I normally don't do shopping on Black Friday but this year my sisters and sister in law will be wanting to go. I'd rather stick needles in my eyes then go shopping on that day, crap.

I am not spending much money this year, we all have so much as it is. We should give it to less fortuate people. I mean when you think of it, most american's have three or four of everything.

....Jane

I'm not a shopper any day of the year, but you can bet I will be staying WAY far away from any stores on that day!

Mostly I'll be enjoying seeing my family, since we live out of state from them. I'd hate to waste good family time on shopping. The only exception is our traditional trek to Valley View Farms in Hunt Valley, where we have gotten a special ornament for our tree every year for the last 38. But we'll probably go on Saturday.

It has to be an outing that's pleasant, I think; for some people it's traditional.

I'm sure a lot of people get caught up in the thrill of the deal and buy stuff they don't need, just because it's dirt cheap.

In Canada, it's boxing day december 26 that's the crazy shopping day, equivalent to the american black friday.

I'm in Florida this year for tgiving and I'm booking golf for that day, I figure it should not be too busy.

My first "real" job in HS was in retail. They scheduled me to work on Black Friday and I didn't know what that meant. I was young and from a family of non-shoppers. That was the only day I ever participated in BF.

I have a friend who rents a limo with 4-5 others and they spend 8-10 hours shopping! I guess it's great fun for them & no parking worries. They don't even break for a real lunch, they do a drive thru meal. It sounds like hell on earth to me but to each his own.

I think the nature of BF has changed over the years. Now stores offer bargains many times a year, partly in order to compete with online shopping. According to some articles, the items that are such deals are often not exactly the same item, ie. less features than the other tv with a similar model number. I guess the real test of the longevity of BF will be: are the younger shoppers willing to do it or will it fade away as the boomer generation ages and shops less?

Absolutely not! I can't even fathom getting out there in those insane crowds. My friend tells a story of someone she knows actually being bitten by another shopper as he reached for an Easy-Bake Oven on the shelves in one store.

If anything, I make it a point to boycott Black Friday. I personally view it as a rather sad statement on the overconsumption of mass-produced Chinese junk, and all too often, a reflection of unbridled greed. Remember the Walmart employee who was trampled to death last year?

No,no,no, that's my idea of h---. My SIL and niece drive 4 hours one way to my house for TG and get home just in time to get up at 4am and head to the stores. I do most of my shopping on my lunch hours and usually locally in our small town. We buy less and less gifts each year. On Black Friday I stay home and decorate for Christmas from daylight to dark, my idea of heaven.

LOL, hey Jen, tell us how you really feel.

No shopping here. I bought my 3 (made in China) Cuisinart ice cream makers months ago for $15 each. My shopping is done!

No, never in a million years! No way, no how. Never ever shopped the day after Thanksgiving so I don't think I'll be starting now.

There *is* a lovely (high end) artist craft show that is housed at several locations throughout our area. I like to go to that if I am around but it's been years since I have been tempted to buy anything.

Not an ever-loving chance. The only time I've ever ventured out on BF is when I've had to work that day, when I was working retail. (However, they'd often bribe us with overtime rates.) Otherwise, you'd have to have a very good reason (like, oh, death threats) for me to even leave the house that day.

I take part in Buy Nothing Day instead.

(I have all of one person to get a gift for this year; most of my church-group-equivalent is teetering so close to the edge of financial catastrophe that even $5 per person for 10 people is simply too much, and with all the food allergies and special diets food gifts are verboten amongst our group. So we're simply skipping the gifts this year. DH and I decided that the tools we had to buy for the porch made a very good Yule present for each other. I would not normally have wanted an air compressor/pneumatic nailer kit, but oh well... LOL)

I'm always scheduled to work that day, so I have never attempted it except for last year. I start work at 6:30a.m, so I figured I'd "swing by" Kohls on my way to work to get a pair of boots one of my DDs saw in their ad and really liked. At 5:30am their parking lot was full, and the line to the eight cash registers was all the way to the back of the store. I picked up the boots right away, and waited in that line for an hour to pay. It was irritating because some people had a person stand in line for them while the partner shopped and filled their friend's basket up. I will never, ever, subject myself to such insanity. Not for me, thanks.

Okay, I'll be the one weirdo in the corner. I love Black Friday shopping, but then I love a good brass knuckles and baseball bats kind of shopping experience. (Anyone else shop a crazy NYC trunk show?) I love scoring deals. I'm also a planner and drawing up the plan of attack is almost like drawing up battle plans.

Most stores like Best Buy will hand out tickets for the super duper electronics deals. So if they have 5 super low priced laptops and you're number 5 in line, you'll get one. Most of the people who camp out at those types of stores understand that and there's a camaraderie at the front of the line. (The people further back in line #80-200 usually don't understand that and can get unruly, but that what the police are there for.) This year, I probably won't go out early, just because I didn't see anything I was particularly interested in in all of the leaked BF ads. I'll still go out later in the day, though.

Not in years.

If I really needed a front loading washer and dryer, I might go to Sears. They have a pair that retail for $1,300 on sale for $579. Four per store. 4:00 am, though?

Another weirdo here. Yes, I go and I love it.

This may sound scroogelike but I don't have anyone to buy gifts for. DH & I don't exchange, we just buy what we want/need when we want/need it and when we can afford it. Same with the kids, they get what they get when they get it because it's the right thing at the right time, not because it's December.

So... since I have no agenda and I'm in no hurry, it's fun. We wake up about 5 am and drive three hours to San Marcos, shop, break for a leisurely lunch, shop more, have a nice dinner, then drive home. I know it sounds crazy but DH & I both like to shop and we're just out looking for bargains. We get in the right frame of mind so waiting in lines at the register is ok. But in fact, I don't remember ever waiting behind more than maybe 4-5 people. It's a huge mall so I guess that helps spread the people out.

Many of the stores have early bird specials, before 10, before 11, before noon, like that. It's crowded but not ridiculous. I don't HAVE to have one special item so I don't have to fight for it or get to a certain store by a certain time or anything like that.

We've done this the last 3-4 years now, and it's become a tradition. It helps that we both like to shop, it helps that we don't have to follow a list of any kind and it helps that we're just having a fun time with no pressure.

I can really see how some people hate it though. From my point of view, feeling pressured to buy tons of gifts for tons of people for tons of $$, on BF or any other day, is the worst of it. But then again, I told you I was scroogelike!

Did it one year, about 8 years ago. It was crazy and we only went at 6am! DH thought it was ridiculous and we ended up with 2 pair of athletic shoes and passed up all the electronics stores with lines into the parking lot.

Also, if you even shop a big sale, like when Macys does a Sale Prices Until 1pm thing, the crowds are nuts, people are insane, and you can't think. You don't really save money or get what you want and need when you can't think.

I have been to HomeGoods 2 weeks ago, bought a lamp, brought it home, tried it out, took it back. Then, a couple of days later, went to Pottery Barn, bought a lamp, took it home, tried it out, took it back. Another trip to HomeGoods last week/another lamp/another trip back to store. Tonight I found a different lamp at Home Goods, and it may work. I haven't left to return it yet!

So, why did I not do my 'homework'? I did. I know what size I need, I know the wattage I need. But the shapes and look of the shades changes in my room, sitting near my current lamps, and with my other things. So, even with the right measurements, wattage, knowledge of my colors, and idea about style, I still need to get them home and size them up. There is NO Way I could do that in a crowd of frenzied shoppers.

Red

My annual goal is to be finished with holiday shopping by Thanksgiving. I will have reached my goal by the end of tomorrow!!! I'm pleased to say that I won't be going in any stores until next spring!

Only did it once, when Walmart had a digicam that I wanted. It was a very, very good deal, but I saw people going nuts over stupid things. $4 Toasters? BFD!

Most of the stuff is marked down multiple times between BF and Christmas anyway. I suppose if you live near the stores, it's a no-brainer to avoid the BF sales. But if you have to travel some distance to get to stores, well, maybe BF is a good idea.

I used to go to the after Christmas sales, but when I realized stores were selling stuff at 50% off BEFORE Christmas, I quit. Now I wait 2 weeks AFTER Christmas and get stuff at 70-90% off!

Never have, never will.

No way! IÂd end up in jail for homicide.

IÂm not a morning person. Some things like earning a living require me to be alert and pleasant before noon, but being around people in the morning is not something I do for recreation.

My first real job was 3 year in retail. I do appreciate that it was what caused me go to college, but it ruined the winter holidays. More than 20 year later, I still dislike shopping during sales and the winter shopping season.

I hate crowds in stores  to the point of being just a wee bit (ok, completely) mentally unhinged. I even try to avoid peak times on normal weekends. If I donÂt, I can suddenly find myself wanting to start crashing my cart into other carts, people and displays while screaming at the top of my lungs. IÂve never actually done that, and IÂd rather not start wearing jackets with sleeves that tie across my back.

Never!

Yoga, I can not spell the laugh I just laughed while reading your post but I was clapping my hands while laughing, if that is a visual that helps.

I am actually a very mellow person by nature but I love the people watching and prey on people like you to complete my shopping experience when I do force myself out.

I go on off times too. I sneak in and out of stores with a list in hand. You won't catch me admiring something just to admire. I have a list and a mission... After I go out to lunch/dinner/supper, to celebrate how painless shopping was.

I hate shopping of any kind but if I must shop (and I must), I am a concentrated shopper. If a purse isn't on my list, you couldn't give me one. It is not on my list.

We used to go, though I can say with certainty that I've never been in a stampede and never waited in line for an hour to buy something. The last couple of years there hasn't been anything we needed though (we tend to use things until they stop working so we are not buying a new gps every year or anything) and with a baby it's next to impossible anyway. Even though we've never been in a stampede I don't want to take my chances with my son.

I did love the thrill of the hunt, and I do love shopping this time of year - and yes, I have worked retail this time of year and I loved that too! But I buy things only if I need them - I do not buy things just because they are a bargain. No matter what the bargain, spending $$ on something you don't need is always more expensive than spending nothing.

So far though, I've done all of my holiday shopping online. We will sit down and watch the parade and check out the ads but really tv's and laptops and that kind of stuff is not on the agenda this year so we'll see. I do like the extra %off at Michael's but no one is lining up at 4am to get into Michael's :D

Yogacat--you are hysterical!
Esp. "being around people in the morning is not something I do for recreation"...
For myself, I'm gonna tweak that to "in the morning and until 1 p.m."!

Regarding BF shopping, I am so glad that the kids in my extended family are always very happy with gift cards. I don't have to shop for anyone else!

All through the year, I even stay out of crowded shopping areas on weekends. I know my limitations. I do love my UPS drivers, tho!

Jen it was just a nip, not a bite...sheesh will they ever let me live that down?

Actually I'd rather have my eyes plucked out with clam shells....I believe in good wine and visitors to my home, with me never leaving the house on black friday. I might hang a christmas wreath that the neighbors brought over, but that's the most "out" i'll get on that day of hell.

Nope! But my three girls -- 2 DDs and 1 DDIL -- are headed out in the middle of the night -- at least this non-morning person thinks it is! But one of the girls is picking up a replacment for my dying electric griddle for me! I'll stay home, fix breakfast and babysit the 6 grandkids, and no matter how rowdy it gets here, it's better than "there!"

There were people camped out at Best Buy at 6p.m. last night.

Well, I just bought an entry rug on a Black Friday special. I cheated, though. It was online.

meghane hey neighor I love Valley view farms! MY mom grew up in that area My DH and I bought ornaments for our first christmas tree up there. we usually go up once a year

I'm not a Black Friday shopper. I'm not much of a shopper, period. However...
I just happened to be in Williamsburg today, and just happened to be passing by an outlet mall on my way home, so I just happened to drive in and just happened to get a parking space(!), and, well, just happened to get some stuff that I really, really needed and at a really, really good price, too.

It's only a matter of time before the big-box stores start selling camping gear, umbrellas, and jackets a week before Black Friday at steep discounts. Then they could sell $200 worth of stuff to everyone who camps out in line for 24 hours so they can be near the front of the line hoping to get a shot at buying one of the four $99 flat-screen TVs the store actually has in stock when the doors open at 5 a.m. That way they'd sell even more stuff people don't really need.

That way, they can sell even more stuff we don't really need. Me, I decided I could save myself even more money by not buying anything this BF, although it's the first time I've done that this decade. The online sales are better; I don't have to wait in line for those (although they can be hard to log onto on BF, and they too run out of stuff quickly).

Really, most of the stuff I bought on Black Friday was for myself, not gifts. I'm way too much of a procrastinator to have a Christmas list ready until mid-December, and these days I just buy slightly-used items online at even steeper discounts than BF sales offer. The real gift-shopping frenzy is usually on the Saturday before Christmas.

Eeegads, I worked at Valley View Farms. Not a pleasant memory. The "woman" who supervised us high-school kids was like a drill sergeant. Every day was her bad day.

But, I do remember wandering through the magical hallway display of Christmas trees there every year and loving it. Remember buying all-you-can-carry pumpkins and fresh apple cider, too.

Wow, it's been a long time.

Dh & I LOVE BF! We like people watching and meeting some of the people in line with us....never fails. I actually work part time @ a minimum wage job just so I can people watch & get cheap deals the store offers! I love shopping and watching people "that" much!!! :0)