PH and I had a brief moment of insanity Thanksgiving evening. PH did an incredible job with the meal.
The dishes were all graciously done by our family members. Our full bellies were sitting up high as we lay like beached belugas on the couch.
It was then that we started egging each other on to see just what a store had to offer in the way of Pre-Black-Friday deals. What is this midnight opening thing all about anyway? We were tentative, but curious.
Now, mind you, I had spent the days prior kvetching about consumerism and greed taking over Thanksgiving, like it was some redhaired stepchild of Christmas (no offense, if you’re a redhead).
Although I’m not anti-consumer like this sign above suggests, I was feeling a bit down on the whole thing. This isn’t what Christmas is about at all and the crazed shopping seems to bring the worst out in people. Somehow, some way, in the midst of our collective guilt that we didn’t have the big ticket items for the girls yet, we began pounding coffee in shot glasses so we could be alert for our late night departure. “Late” being 10:00 pm (yes, it’s lame, I know…but getting up at 5:00 every day has slowly turned me into pumpkin status at 9:30).
So..fast forward..we’re driving towards “commerce land”, submerged in our naivete’ with statements like, “Maybe there’ll be just a few of us yahoos sauntering towards the electronic section” and “There won’t be any big lines, right?”
Ooooo… ignorance is most certainly bliss.
To our horror, the line at Best Buy was the entire length of the outside shopping mall. There were TENTS! TENTS, friends! Goodness, it’s a sport, this bargain hunting thing. At Target, our Mecca for all things Blair Girl, we found the same story.
There was moaning in our minivan.
There was more kvetching.
There was an air of disgust in the car…disgust that we chose to participate in the first place (what were we thinking?) and general disdain for all things Black Friday related.
We promptly turned the car around…with a vow to not ever participate in this craziness again.
* * *
The next day I did some digging in the closet of self righteousness and found my soapbox.
I hopped on it and began my soliloquy around breakfast table against the running down (in a Monster Truck fashion) of a holiday which is supposed to be a reprieve from all the commercial mess. You know that there were Target worker bees there all day setting up when they should have been home enjoying their families. What happened to the days of needing another stick of butter for the mashed potatoes, but having to borrow from a neighbor because the grocery store was closed?
I miss those days.
I also miss having a phone that would just ring and ring because I WASN’T HOME and there were no such things as answering machines.
Do you miss those days? Do you miss them for your children who never even knew them?
I know, I know..progress can be good..and heaven knows they’ll have to pry my iPhone from my cold dead fingers (or whatever the gadget will be when I’m 90) and I can enter the land of ”early adopter” status with the best of ‘em…but there are days that I want us
to
go
back.
Back to a Thanksgiving evening filled with board games and Charlie Brown specials….
…a second helping of pie and some good ‘ole conversation around the sectional. I refuse to get caught up in it next year. After reading about some brawls that took place in Walmart parking lots with no spots left on Thursday night and other violent happenings, I am definitely staying put…until Sunday..or Monday.
Thanks for letting me vent.
What are your thoughts on this Black Friday madness?
Hope you and yours had a woooonderful holiday.
So thankful for each of you!
OX.
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There is nothing I need that bad to fight those crowds! I proudly did not open one Black Friday ad. I too miss the days of Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, playing cards and just having the 2nd meal in the evening. Our family had a nice holiday this year, no Black Friday shoppers in our house. I don’t get it.
Being insanely crowdophobic keeps me from ever being tempted to venture out into the madness! Whatever shopping was not previously done shall be done online, (and from my fellow etsy sellers, if possible).
Because we were away in Knoxville visiting my sick f-i-l, we took the opportunity on Black Friday to visit a historic home there; guess what? We were the only ones there so enjoyed a private tour from the museum director while all the crazy peeps were beating each other up at Wally World.
It was a wonderful afternoon and yes, I do sometimes wish we could go back to those simpler days. Love your soapbox!
Jan
I did not venture out either. I was tempted, real tempted to go with Amalia’s mommy and her mom. What could be more fun than double grandma shopping for the first grandchild’s Christmas? But I did not cave, I stayed home ALL DAY Friday. Saturday Hubby and I ventured on base to buy a few things. I found out he doesn’t mind shopping when it comes to his granddaughter. WE HAD FUN!
Cyber Monday, on the other hand, my keyboard may be burning up!
I long for the days of yesteryear, The slower pace, the smaller stores, and time with family seemed to last forever.
I’ve tried the black friday thing in the past, and in my humble opinion, not much is worth that madness. When we were younger and poorer it seemed more exciting. Now that I’m older, need my sleep and am less concerned about getting the deal it doesn’t seem nearly as appealing. Maybe if it was a girlfriend thing just for the social outing…
Brave yet crazy souls!!! For the first time ever we headed to the mall on black Friday – but it was to see “Hugo” (very cool 3d movie). We laughed at all the crazed shoppers hustling around us. Killed time at the massage chair at the sharper image….ahhhh. My recommendation is to be sure there is one nearby if you ever decide to venture out again on that dreaded day. Or better yet buy your popcorn and kick back in the theater and watch the coming attractions. Kiss that handsome chef and his lovely sous-chefs. We’re thankful fo he possibility of seeing you ll this summer! Xoxo
I’ve only braved the early morning madness once…however I’v spend many a wonderful shopping days after Thanksgiving with my mom. It’s a fun tradition we have of heading out mid morning- to catch some of the good deals- and we do get some good ones even at noon on Friday. Found everyone to be lovely- mostly the store clerks who are cheerful and helpful.
No Christmas most certainly is not about shopping- but I love the excuse of shopping to spend a little time with my mom. We laugh because she wears the pretty rather than comfy shoes (we traded shoes) and we giggle when we check out the crazy expensive stuff at the outlet mall…”yes I’d like 10 of those 500 dollar purses please”!!! I’ll have these memories for a long time…
The last time I went out on Black Friday in my hometown was 3 years ago and I did the same thing you guys did, turned around and went home. My In-laws live in a rural area and I have to admit their Black Friday is low-key, I went in that day at 10 a.m. and everything I was looking for was there, no crowds, no lines. (luck – but I made the decision not to participate in the madness!)If we had been home I would have never gone out. I refuse to do the midnight day of stuff because of the same reasons you stated. My two best friends run 4 stores at an outlet mall. They have to have Thanksgiving dinner a week before. And they have to sleep during the day so they can go in at 9 so they can work until 6 a.m. Now that the other stores started opening sooner, their companies made them open at 9 the day of this year! Their son is 3 and has yet to spend an actual Thnaksgiving day with his parents! This year we decided to make all our gifts and are sticking to it. We have actually had a lot of fun working on them at night…I support the soapbox sermon!
I just did a post on this, actually I deemed it Wild Horses. I’ve never ventured out to shop and don’t think its in my future…
thanks for sharing
Kimmie
mama to 8
one homemade and 7 adopted
I was completely disgusted with the whole thing! I am not going to say I have not ever been one of those crazy people out there. I have ventured two times and that would be in the last 8 years. I was so disapointed when I saw that some stores were opening at midnight and then some on Thanksgiving! I am sorry but I wrote on Facebook; why don’t we all just start having our Thanksgivng dinners at the mall of our choice (Big ol tail gating parties) I don’t think anything is more important than spending time with family. We stayed up, we litterly open our home to whom ever would like to come over for a hot meal 1) Because, we are blessed 2) We don’t have family in this area. “yes” we do know who is coming! But what are we teaching our children and that is what really hit me this year. Beings I closed my shop this past year, everytime I went into a store I thought it was so strange that the store were so crazy and then it dawned on me! The Holiday’s are coming!!! I am not even close to being ready. This was one of the nicest Thanksgivings I have had in the past 4 years, The only thing that could have made it better was having my son be here and he could not make it home due to work. (The next day of course)! lol at 4:00AM! All in all Thanksgiving was wonderful and I am totally blessed. Lara, I so wish I could keep up with you, I use to have your energy and I want it back!!!!! I think someone took it away!!!xoxoxo Deana Now go shopping and have some. Something for next year that would make those big ol store think a little bit! If we all protested and vowed secrectly somehow-someway for know one to show up. That would be one great day that the world would never forget!
I’ve tried Black Friday…at 1:00 p.m., and it was still too crowded for me. I love staying put. What on earth could be worth going out at midnight and then being crabby the next day because of lack of sleep? I’m certain my family would be more appreciative of me with sleep!!
xo
lynn
Well said, my friend! I do know this though….because the craziness existed at midnight at Target, I was able to stroll in at 10am the next morning and have unobstructed shopping time. But what’s next? Thursday sales starting at 6pm? noon? 6am? It’s frightening to think that consumerism is taking over our day to slow down and be thankful.
Great Post! I do not venture out to the stores on Friday, but i did shop locally at the mom and pop shops on Saturday!
Hi there….didn’t step foot in a store all weekend. I can’t stomach the idea of waiting in long lines & then getting pushed & shoved while everyone’s scrambling for the same stuff….no thank you… I’d rather pay more.
great post by the way!
I’m with you sissy~ I didn’t do a stitch of shopping on Friday. We were too busy enjoying all of those left-overs and playing games with our boys! This year most of our gifts will be handmade – something we are enjoying doing immensely. We are also avoiding big box stores and “made in china” items as much as possible. This year, we will be remembering what it is about the holidays that make them so special – there will be more family here than ever before (daddy is flying in this year!) and less material gifts. However, there will be endless gifts – of love, of food, and of laughter~
Miss you chickadee!
xx