I've already ordered/received things for our two grandchildren. Since DD2 worked today, I took DGS to Target to pick out things for the toy drive at his local Fire Department. Seeing that he is 4yo, I thought there would be trouble buying for others instead of him, but not once did he ask for something for himself. He wanted to be sure we had picked out toys for babies, and little boys and girls - and evenly at that. Then he proudly carried them into FD. I started this tradition the Christmas after he was born and look forward to doing this with him each year.

Surprisingly, Target was not crowded. I've never shopped in stores on Black Friday and only the day after Christmas once.

Stayed in! Went to the town caroling and lighting, checked out the bookshop and W-S for gifts (for me and others!).

One year BFF and I left the house about 9pm to head up to the outlet mall about 45 minutes away. About 12:30 we reached the exit, and having seen the cars parked along the frontage road, half in the ditch, for the last mile, go off the ramp, turned to get on the on ramp heading home lol! We headed out again the next morning at a much more reasonable 8am, sailed along the highway, parked a couple of spots in from the shops, and had a lovely morning shopping in peace.

We don't do gifts, but I did take advantage of a BF online sale to buy an unlit artificial Christmas tree. I hate giving up the real thing, but the time has come ... unless I hate it then it's tree lot shopping I will go ... but I hope not.

We stayed away from the brick&mortar shops but did take advantage of some extra savings online. We wanted a new computer and bought it with an extra discount, the same with some replacement rugs (aka dog chew toy), and a birthday present for my sister. I'm of course filling out some Xmas wish lists. Oh, and I'm debating on a new dresser/chest for the bedroom, and something for the home office. I'm resisting the lure of a new copper pan and knife.

I saw a Facebook post with a photo of someone's B&M haul -- they had five slow cookers! That's a whole lot of the same gift.

My only shopping today was at the grocery store. Merciful quiet there. I am usually nearly done with Christmas shopping by now though and haven't even started this year--it's been a busy fall. So I need to get my act together.

My dear Hubby has gotten up to go to Sears and a couple times Cabella's or Bass Pro Shop for the last decade. This afternoon he figured out that it wasn't just a fuse that was keeping his factory car stereo from turning on so I suggest he check and see what he could find online. He found an all day Black Friday deal at BB, he called to make sure they had some in stock. They did and could even install it today so I went in with him. While we waited we wandered the store and I found a Samsung watch. When meeting our Son to pick up our Grandson, we showed him the stereo. He loved it so we got him one to be installed next week when he has time. I'm thrilled because they now can use their cells hands free.

With those two purchases I'm done but for stocking stuffers.

I went to KAM in Hyannis and bought dishwasher, but not because it was black Friday but rather because I really need a new one since I'm putting a new kitchen in as I type. Timing just happened to be this way. Bosch has a November rebate - not related to Black Friday - on their stuff and you have to have purchased it by Nov. 30. I had only decided the day before the get a new DW.

However, I got home and was looking online at the DW I had bought that morning and saw it was much less expensive online, so I called KAM and they honored the price difference, plus $10. However, I have to pay sales tax, which I wouldn't have had to do buy buying it online. KAM, though, will service it if it needs it since I bought it from them, so I think worth paying the tax.

Wheeled the old lousy but working DW out to the end of my driveway with a "free, works, all parts" sign on it, and it was gone with in a half hour.

Discovered a part I forgot to stick in the DW this morning, though. I feel bad.

I used to love to go Black Friday shopping when the stores opened at reasonable times like 6 a.m. Since I spent many years in graduate school and now work in education, it was a great way for me to do all my shopping before final exams kicked in. But I am not supporting stores opening on Thanksgiving day, and I refuse to go. I had my personal training weights appointment at 9 a.m. yesterday at a studio that is located kitty-corner from a huge mall, and there was NO traffic! That's because everyone was there the night before.

I bought some things online for both DH, MIL, and myself through Belk, NHL.com, and a retro store. I also bought our Christmas cards.

This morning it looks like there is a cool small business Saturday event where you can go different pop-up markets by trolley, so maybe we will check that out.

KSWL - I forgot - I bought a new printer - also on Wednesday. We looked through the ads in the paper that day and many of the stores already had the Black Friday prices. We had been in the market for a wireless printer for our home office and found just what we wanted.

My goal on Black Friday is to not leave the house. But the bird food store where I buy all my stuff had a 25% off sale of everything you could put in one of their (free and very nice) reusable bags-including suet, which never goes on sale. So I took the back roads and showed up there, saved $32, got a lot of suet, plus a nice bag. Stopped and got a latte on the way home. All in all it was worth the effort to get out.

The first 10 years we were married, I worked in retail - an appliance and stereo/audio store - and that cured me of willingly going out the day after Thanksgiving :) I still haven't recovered from the hoards of shoppers (and the store didn't open until 9 AM, not 5, or 6)

I did find a cyber weekend Marriott bargain for our Christmas stay reservations, called my nephew for his approval for his family and booked rooms for all of us.

We only went out to buy Christmas trees.