Flashback Friday: Black Friday

Of course my Flashback Friday post this week has to be about Black Friday, right?! As I write, 9 pm Black Friday Eve, I'm still not certain if I'll shop at 4 a.m. tomorrow or not. I'm tempted. Oops, scratch that. I'm IN! Just got the call from Tommy, we're leaving at 3:20 a.m. and I'm goin', baby! Click here for Target's Video Tips. Click on the Two Day Tips, then the video for the Utility Belt tip, wonderful idea - wear a stinkin' utility belt shopping.
Let's Flashback to Black Fridays in the past. So. . . here's my scrapbooking page from Black Friday '06 or '07.
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We were in FL with Tom's family. We got to circuit city at 4:45 a.m. and ended up #150-#153 in the checkout line, a two-hour wait in line. A lady cut in line in front of Tom, pretending to look at something. Tom told her the checkout line "is way back there." She ignored him. He got in her face and said "Do you understand??" She walked away. You don't mess with Tom S. on Black Friday.
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In 2008, I wrote: I'm not a shopper. So my obsession with Black Friday came as a surprise to me. ...it became a sport. Extreme Shopping. The ultimate scavenger hunt: How many wacky situations can you encounter in one morning?
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So the night before... we prepare. Scour the ads. Map the route. Verify store opening times. Spread false rumors to others and redirect the crowd. Stuff like that.
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If you're going to shop at 4 in the morning, you are going to look suspicious, sneaky. It wasn't to intimidate anyone. Really. Stealth Shopping. Under the cover of darkness.

Marj: "I got my game face on."


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So back in '08, I talked about the history of Black Friday (yawn) and about strategy - like one person standing in line as soon as we arrive at a store while others shop. I also commented that

" the sales weren't very good. Definitely not worth getting up at 3 and waiting in hour long lines."

Really?? Why'd we go? Why'm I going tomorrow? Click here to read the whole story from 2008.

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In '08 I also had this experience: I wanted to buy a sports-team hoodie. It was one for $35 or two for $30. I told him I really, seriously only wanted one. I didn't like the sports teams advertisted, except this one, and it was a gift. "One is $35, maam, I can't change that," he says, all authority like. They paid me $5 to take a hoodie. Yeah, profits must be real good and managers a little low on brains. So I ended up with 2.
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So that's my summary of Black Friday.
Like I said....

I'm not a shopper.